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Presented  to  the 

LIBRARY  of  the 

UNIVERSITY    OF    TORONTO 

hy 
The  Estate  of  the  late 

PROFESSOR  A.  S.  P.  WOODHOUSE 

Head  of  the 

Department  of  English 

University  College 

1944-1964 


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http://www.archive.org/details/firstapologyofjuOOjustuoft 


VI 


THE    FIRST    APOLOGY   OF 
JUSTIN    MARTYR 


THE  FIRST  APOLOGY  OF 
JUSTIN    MARTYR 


ADDRESSED    TO 
THE    EMPEROR    ANTONINUS    PIUS 


PREFACED  BY  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  WRITmOS 
AND  OPINIONS  OF  JUSTIN  MARTYR 


BY  JOHN   KAYE 

BURMERLT  LORD  BISHOP  OF  LINCOLN 


f 


BMnburob 
JOHN     GRANT 

1912 


A,      V  - 

1  L    .'O' 


970G19 


The  rights  of  translation  and  reproduction  are  reserved. 


EDITOR'S     NOTE. 


The  references  in  Bishop  Kaye's  Introduction  are  to  the 
Paris  Edition  of  Justin's  Works,  published  in  1636.  They 
have  been  collated  afresh  with  a  copy  of  that  Edition  in 
Sion  College. 

Where  these  references  are  followed  by  another  in  brackets, 
it  should  be  understood  that  such  bracketed  reference  is  to 
the  page  in  our  own  translation,  which  is  that  of  William 
Reeves,  published  in  17 17. 


CONTENTS. 


-0- 


CHAP.  PAGn 

I.    ON  THE  WRITINGS  OK  JUSTIN   MARTYR,        •  •  .  .  I 

II.  THE    OPINIONS    OF    JUSTIN    RESPECTING    THE    AOTOS    AND 

THE   TRINITY, 33 

III.  JUSTIN'S   OPINIONS   RESPECTING  ORIGINAL   SIN,   THE   FREE- 

DOM  OF    THE   WILL,    GRACE,   JUSTIFICATION,    PREDESTI- 
NATION,   57 

IV,  JUSTIN'S   OPINIONS   RESPECTING   BAPTISM   AND   THE   EUCHA- 

RIST,   WITH    A    PARTICULAR    REFERENCE    TO   A   PASSAGE 

IN   THE   FIRST   APOLOGY, 63 

V.  THE  IMMORTALITY  OF  THE  SOUL — THE  RESURRECTION  OF 
THE  BODY — THE  MILLENNIUM — FUTURE  JUDGMENT — 
ANGELS — DEMONS, 74 

VI.  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  CHRISTIANS  IN  THE  TIME  OF 
JUSTIN,  AND  THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  RAPID  DIFFUSION 
OF  CHRISTIANITY, ("^3/ 

VII.    THE    HERESIES     MENTIONED    BY    JUSTIN— MISCELLANEOUS 

OBSERVATIONS, ,92 


Vlll 


Contenfs. 


VIII.    AN    EXAMINATION    OF    THE    QUESTION,     WHETHER    JUSTIN 
QUOTED  THE   GOSPELS   WHICH   WE   NOW   HAVE?      . 


97 


IX.  CONTAINING  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  THE  PRECEDING  CHAPTERS 
FROM  THE  WRITINGS  OF  TATIAN,  ATHENAGORAS,  AND 
THEOPHILUS  OF  ANTIOCH,  WITH  ADDITIONAL  RE- 
MARKS,   112 


These  pages  contain  the  substance  of  part  of  a  Course  of  Lectures, 
delivered  at  Cambridge  in  the  Lent  Term  of  \%2\. 


THE  FIRST  APOLOGY  OF  JUSTIN   MARTYR, 


(1) 


\ 


SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  WRITINGS 


JUSTIN    MARTYR. 

CHAPTER   I. 

ON    THE   WRITINGS   OF   JUSTIN    MARTYR. 

Among  the  Fathers,  Justin  Martyr  is  the  eadiest  of  whose 
works  we  possess  any  considerable  remains.  He  marks  the 
commencement  of  what  may  be  termed  the  ecclesiastical,  in 
contradistinction  from  the  apostolic  period.  Hence  the  care 
with  which  his  opinions  have  been  examined,  and  the  import- 
ance which  has  been  attached  to  them.  One  party  appeals  to 
him  as  expressing  the  sentiments  of  the  primitive  Christians 
on  some  of  the  fundamental  articles  of  our  faith ;  while 
another  regards  him  as  having  exerted  a  most  fatal  influence 
over  the  interests  of  religion,  by  introducing  into  the  Church 
a  confused  medley  of  Christianity  and  Platonism,  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  pure  and  simple  truths  of  the  gospel.  The 
object  of  the  present  work  is  to  enable  the  theological  student 
to  pronounce  between  these  contradictory  representations,  by 
laying  before  him  an  accurate  account  of  Justin's  opinions. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  engage  in  the  discussion  of  the 


2  Some  Account  of  the 

different  hypotheses  which  have  been  framed  respecting  the 
chronology  of  Justin's  life.  The  data  are  too  few  and  too 
uncertain  to  justify  us  in  coming  to  any  decided  conclusion. 
We  know  from  himself  ^  that  he  was  born  at  Flavia  Neapolis, 
in  Samaria,  of  Gentile  parents  ;  "^  and  we  are  told  by  Eusebius,^ 
who  refers  to  Tatian,  Justin's  scholar,  that  he  suffered  martyr- 
dom at  Rome,  in  the  reign  of  Marcus  Antoninus.*  One 
important  circumstance,  from  its  connexion  with  the  history 
of  his  opinions,  is  that  he  had  carefully  studied  the  tenets  of 
the  different  philosophical  sects  ;  ^  having  successively  attached 
himself  to  the  Stoics,  the  Peripatetics,  the  Pythagoreans,  and 
the  Platonists.  To  the  last  he  manifestly  gave  the  preference ; 
but,  not  deriving  from  any  of  them  the  entire  satisfaction 
which  he  had  expected,  he  was  induced  to  examine  and, 
having  examined,  to  embrace  Christianity ;  finding  it,  as  he 
himself  states,  the  only  sound  and  useful  philosophy.*'  He 
appears,   however,  after   his  conversion,  to   have   retained  a 

^  Apol.  i.  si4b  initio.  See  also  Apol.  ii.  p.  52  A;  Dial.  p.  349  C. 
Ed.  Paris,  1636. 

*  "  Did  we  not  see  Christians  in  greater  number  and  of  greater  sincerity 
from  among  the  Gentiles  than  from  the  Jews  and  Samaritans."  lavrovi 
h/ueis  tfuyns  •jrXiioya.s  rt  xa)  cr.Xn^iaTtpo'j;  tov;  i|  i^yaiv  tuv  xz'o  'lovoxiav  xai 
y.a^af'iui  XpifTiavohi  (j/Sstss).  AJ>o/.  i.  p.  88  B  (p.  65).  See  also  £>iai. 
pp.  226  A,  245  C,  348  C,  531  D. 

'  Sccl.  Hist.  1.  iv.  c.  16.  Tatian,  Oratio  ad  Grcscos,  p.  157  D.  Ed. 
Paris,  1636. 

*  See  also  Jerome  in  CaJalogo.  Dodwell,  Diss.  iii.  in  TrencBum,  §  19, 
Diss,  iv.  §  34,  supposes  him  to  have  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  year  149, 
at  the  age  of  thirty ;  this  inference  he  draws  from  an  account,  manifestly 
erroneous,  given  by  Epiphanius,  Har.  26  or  46. 

^  See  the  commencement  of  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho ;  and  with 
respect  to  the  Platonists,  Apol.  ii.  p.  50  A. 

*  To-uTnt  fioytjv  ivpiiTKov  (piXetTopiav  air^aXij  tz  kcci  <riJ^(p/!^5v,  p.  225  C. 
Justin  gives  an  interesting  account  of  the  manner  in  wliich  he  was  induced 
to  study  the  Prophetic  Writings,  by  the  arguments  of  an  aged  man,  whom 
he  accidentally  met  on  the  sea-shore,  p.  219  E,  and  to  whom  he  appears  to 
allude,  p.  241  B.     "  I  will  preach  the  Divine  Word  which  I  heard  from 

that  man.         xtifJ^M  lya  filov  X'.yoy,  1)11  Trap'  ikuv/iu  riKtuaa,  T'Ai  ayhpij. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  3 

fondness  for  his  former   pursuits,  which  he  evinced   by  con- 
tinuing to  wear  the  philosophic  habit.  ^ 

Of  the  works  printed  in  the  Paris  edition,  it  is  now  generally 
admitted  that  the  Confutation  of  Certain  Tenets  of  Aristotle, 
the  Christian  Questions  to  the  Greeks,  the  Greek  Questions  to 
the  Christians,  the  Anstvers  to  the  Orthodox^  the  Exposition 
of  the  True  Faith  re  sped i fig  the  Trinity,  the  Epistle  to 
Diognetus,  and  the  Epistle  to  Zenas  and  Serenus,  were  not 
composed  by  Justin.  The  following  circumstances  induce 
me  also  to  entertain  doubts  respecting  the  genuineness  of 
the  Hortatory  Address  to  the  Greeks.  In  p.  20  B,2  where 
the  author  is  endeavouring  to  show  that  Plato,  having  met 
with  the  writings  of  Moses  in  Egypt,  had  embraced  the 
doctrine  of  the  divine  unity,  but  was  deterred  from  openly 
declaring  his  sentiments  by  dread  of  encountering  the  same 
fate  which  befell  Socrates,  he  mentions  the  appearance  of  God 
to  Moses  out  of  the  burning  bush,  and  speaks  as  if  God  had 
Himself  appeared;  whereas  Justin,  not  only  in  his  Dialogue 
with  Trypho,  where  he  might  be  supposed  to  hold  a  different 
language  from  that  in  which  he  addressed  the  Gentiles,  but  in 
his  first  Apology,^  maintains  that  it  was  Christ  Who,  on  that 


^  Dialog,  cum  Tryph.  p.  217  B,  C. 

*  "  Therefore  God,  knowing  that  the  false  belief  of  polytheism,  like  a 
disease,  disturbs  men's  minds,  and  wishing  to  abolish  and  overthrow  it, 
when  He  first  appeared  to  Moses,  said  to  him,  'I  am  that  I  am.' 
For  it  behoved,  I  think,  the  future  prince  and  leader  of  the  Hebrew 
people  first  of  all  to  know  the  living  God.  Wherefore  appearing  to  him 
first,  since  indeed  it  was  possible  for  God  to  appear  to  man,  He  said  to 
him,  '  I  am  that  I  am.' "  siS&i;  rs/mv  0  Qili  t«v  TJJf  voXvii'oTmo;  fih 
aXnSr,  oo^av  uiff-np  ritot.  viirov  rn  tuiv  ai^fu'Trui  ivo^Xeuirav  '4"'X^>  avtXiTv  xai 
a.iar/.iypai  (suuXofntifSj  Tpumv  fAv  tu  Maiff^  (payt);,  iifn  -rpos  abriv,  iyw  tiui  i 
oiv.  idii  yap,  oi/Aat,  Toy  ap^ovra  Kai  rTparnyov  rod  ruy  'EfipxiMv  yUavg  iiTifffeii 
fiiXXotTO.  vpuTOV  dTayruy  tov  avra  yiyvuo'niiy  &io»,  oii  xoti  rovr-jn  TfotiiTm 
^aiiii,  di;  nt  iuyarov  ay^puTui  (^(f/r,ia.i  6;!)v,   lin  "^foi  alriv,  lyi'i  iifii  i  cay. 

*  P.  96  B.  (p.  80.) 


4  Some  Accoimt  of  the 

occasion,  appeared  to  Moses.  The  account  also  of  the  origin 
of  polytheism,  which  is  given  in  p.  19  D,  does  not  correspond 
with  the  statement  in  the  second  Apology.  In  the  former 
passage,!  we  are  told  that  the  serpent,  when  he  assured  our 
first  parents  that  if  they  ate  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge 
they  should  be  as  gods,  impressed  them  with  the  persuasion 
that  there  were  other  gods  besides  the  Creator  of  heaven  and 
earth ;  and  that  they,  retaining  this  persuasion  after  their 
expulsion  from  Paradise,  transmitted  it  to  their  posterity. 
But  in  the  latter  passage  2  the  statement  is,  that  the  angels, 
to  whom  God  had  committed  the  superintendence  of  this 
lower  world,  transgressing  His  commands,  became  connected 
with  women ;  and  that  from  this  intercourse  sprang  demons, 
who  were  the  authors  of  idolatry  and  polytheism.  The 
accounts  of  the  Septuagint  translation  in  p.  13  D,  and  in 
the  first  Apology,  p.  72  C  (p.  39),  do  not  appear  to  me  to  have 
proceeded  from  the  same  pen  ;  and  in  p.  21  C,^  the  author  of 

1  See  also  pp.  34  C,  36  C.  In  p.  32  B,  the  author  says  that  the  heathen 
were  induced  to  represent  their  gods  under  human  forms,  by  the  statement 
in  the  Book  of  Genesis,  that  God  made  man  in  His  own  likeness  after 
His  image,  from  which  they  inferred  that  man  is  in  form  like  unto  God. 
"  The  book  of  Moses  saying  of  the  appearance  of  God,  '  Let  us  make  man 
m  our  image,  etc.  tS;  yaf  M&itr'iM;  'nrropia;  ix  ■jTfoiruj'Xou  rou  Biov  Xiywirns, 
vomrufiu  avSpuTiv  kkt  iIkovo.  k.  t.  i.  See  also  p.  36  C.  Compare  this 
with  the  mode  in  which  the  same  text  is  applied  in  the  Dialogue  with 
Trypho,  p.  285  A.  In  the  fragment  of  the  Tract  on  the  Resurrection, 
ascribed  to  Justin,  the  author  applies  this  text  to  the  fleshly  man.  "  For 
does  not  the  Word  say,  '  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own  image,  and  after 
our  likeness?'     What?     He  clearly  refers  to  the  carnal  man."     l  yap  »;> 

(pnriv  I)  Xoys  Tor/./rcjf/.iv  ai/^pa^iv  xar  li-^ivs,  ',  fj.irf.pav,  xa.)  x.a6^  o/^aiafftv  ;  ToTov; 
itiK'.veri  ffapxiiciii  xiyii  a.v6puvov.      Grabe,  Spicil.  t.  ii.  p.   187. 

8  P.  44  A.     Compare  Apol.  i.  pp.  55  E  (7),  67  D  (30),  69  C  (33). 

^  "  There  is  a  great  difference  between  these  according  to  the  opinion 
of  Plato  himself.  For  the  maker  produces  that  which  he  makes,  without 
the  need  of  anything  else ;  but  the  creator  constructs  his  work,  having 
received  the  power  of  workmanship  from  his  material."     xa/V«/  ^xxi;? 

iia^epx;  tv  reUTaii  euirn;,  xecra  rhv  avrou  nxdrmvas  3o|av.  0  fAv  yap  •roinrhf, 
tviivos  iripiv  rpordto/^iios,  >»  Tn;  laureu  'ivtaf^.tut  ko.)  i^^vrircf  •roiu  70  Ttnovfutcv 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  5 

the  Hortatory  Address  makes  after  Plato  a  distinction  between 
TTotr/Tijs,  "  Maker,"  and  S-rjfjLLovpyos,  "Creator"  —  words  which 
Justin  uses  indiscriminately.^  To  evade  the  inference  drawn 
from  these  discrepancies,  it  may  be  said  that  Bishop  Bull  (De/. 
Fid.  Nic.  sec.  iii,  chap.  2)  has  pointed  out  a  coincidence  of  sen- 
timent in  this  work  and  in  the  second  Apology.  The  author 
of  the  former  says  of  Plato,  that  "  having  heard  in  Egypt  that 
God,  when  He  sent  Moses  to  the  Hebrews,  said,  '  I  am  that  I 
am,'  he  (Plato)  knew  that  God  had  not  declared  His  proper 
name ;  since  no  proper  name  can  be  assigned  to  God.  For 
names  are  given  for  the  purpose  of  describing  and  distinguishing 
things,  inasmuch  as  they  are  many  and  various.  But  no  one 
existed  before  God  who  could  give  Him  a  name ;  nor  did  He 
deem  it  right  to  give  Himself  a  name,  inasmuch  as  He  is  one 
and  alone ;  as  He  Himself  testifies  through  His  prophets, 
saying,  '  I  God  am  the  first,  and  I  am  the  last,  and  beside  me 
is  no  other  God'  (Isa.  xliv.  6).  On  this  account,  therefore,  as  I 
said  before,  God,  when  He  sent  Moses  to  the  Hebrews,  did  not 
mention  any  name;  but  mystically  declared  Himself  to  be  the  one 
and  only  God,  by  means  of  a  participle,  eyw  yap  cftrja-Lv  dfjn  6 
wj/,  '  I,  He  said,  am  He  that  liveth.'  "2     With  this  passage  Bull 

0  SI  ^nfiioupyoSf  T«v  Ttis  OYif^imifyiu;  ovvauiv  Ik  rri;  IXns  iiXtifui;,  zuTcurniucii^ii 
TO  yiyvofiivoy. 

1  Thus  Apol.  i.  p.  57  A  (p.  lo),   "With  God  the  Father  and  Creator 

of  all   things."      faro,    <Siou    toZ   -Travrajv  vu-rfoi  KXi  ^yi/xiovpyoZ,      And    p.  66  C 

(p.  28),  "God  the  Creator  of  the  universe."  tov  t«»t4;v  -rmtiTtiv  Biov. 
See  also  pp.  60  C  (16),  66  E  (29),  70  A,  B  (35),  92  A  (71). 

^  ixfixoi);  yap  Iv  Alyu'JfTif  rot  Hsov  rtu  Muxr^  tiptiKivxi,  lyca  tifci  0  av,  O'Thvikcc 
9rpo;  tovi  'Ejipaiou!  aurov  ocroiTTiy.Xiiv  efuXXiv,  iyvco  ort  eu  xvpiov  o\ofi.a.  lauTOV  o 
6ioi  TTpos  avTov  t<pn-  ouTiv  yap  ovofm  i-Ti  SioZ  xupitXoyutrSat  ouiCtToy.  tu  yap 
itouara  il;  ^yiXaxriv  xai  ^liyttavii  ruv  lj<rox.iifiivcav  xilrai  •ffpa.yjiu.Tui,  -roXXut 
XXI  iiKipapav  ovrav  Bim  Vi  eiiri  0  rihis  ovofia  •rpov'^yip^iv,  ouri  avrog  lavrov 
ivopta^iiv  uK^ti  Ssrv,  8/5  KCii  ftovof  UTap^^^av,  as  aiiros  61a,  rav  \uvtov  'JTpoipnTut 
fiuprvpu  XiyuM,  lycii  &10S  ^puTos  xeci  lyai  fiiTce  ravra,  xcci  a*X>iv  ifiio  Qiof 
tT'.poi  ovx  iffTi.  oia  toZto  to'ivuv,  us  xai  TpoTipov  liptiv  ovdi  ov  f/,aro{  vivos  «  Bios 
aToiTTiXXav  Tpos  rous  ''Efipccious  rov  M'^iiria  f.tifivvron,  aXXa,  oiu  rivos  /^iro^KS  £va 
nc<  uovov  Biov  ta,v<rov  sTva;  (/.viTtiku;  oiiu-dKii,  iyco  yap,  ^»ir/v,  s/^/  0  ui,      P.  I9  B, 


6  Some  Account  of  the 

compares  one  in  the  second  Apology}  to  which  reference  will 
hereafter  be  made,  and  which  is  as  follows  :  "  But  no  name  has 
been  given  to  the  Father  of  all  things,  inasmuch  as  He  is  unbe- 
gotten ;  for  by  whatever  name  any  one  is  called,  he  must  be 
posterior  to  him  who  gave  the  name  ;  and  Father,  God,  Creator, 
Lord,  Master  are  not  names,  but  appellations  given  from  His 
benefits  and  works.  But  His  Son,  who  alone  is  properly  called 
Son,  the  Word,  Who  was  with  Him  before  the  creation,  and 
begotten  when  in  the  beginning  He  created  and  adorned  all 
things  by  Him,  is  called  Christ,  because  He  was  anointed,  and 
because  God  adorned  all  things  by  Him  ;  a  name  which  also  con- 
tains in  itself  an  unknown  signification ;  like  as  the  appellation 
'God'  is  not  a  name,  but  the  notion  of  an  ineffable  thing 
implanted  in  the  nature  of  men."  Between  these  passages 
there  is  undoubtedly  one  point  of  coincidence ;  in  both  it  is 
said  that  no  name  could  be  given  to  God,  because  no  one 
existed  before  God  to  give  the  name.  But  here  the  coincidence 
ends.  We  have  already  observed  the  discrepancy  respecting 
the  Divine  Person  who  appeared  to  Moses.  We  may  add 
that  the  word  KvpLoXoyeuaQai,  "to  give  God  a  name,"  are  used 
in  the  former  passage  in  a  sense  totally  different  from  that  in 
which  Justin  uses  it  in  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho,^  where  it 


ivofiurt  (f.  ciii//,a.ri  tis)  vpoattyopivnTai,  vpur^uTipnv  ix^'  ''''>''  i'iy-tvov  to  ovo/^a.-  to 
01  IJarnp,  xai  &io;,  xeci  K.TKrTns,  xa)  Kvpio;,  xai  Aiff^irvSt  »i«  hvouecra  iffriv, 
aXX  IX,  ru)!  luvotiuv  xai  roJ\i  'ipyut  •JTpiffpn/nK.  i  Ti  v'lo;  ixiivou,  e  /i'ovos  XiyifAivo; 
Kvpicjs  vio;,  0  Xoyo;  'jrpo  tcov  -^oi'/ifiaTuv  xx)  cuvaiy  x«/  ytuviCfyHtoi',  on  t'av  apvYiM  "it 
uvTou  ■rav'TU  'ixriffs  xai  \xofffiviin,  XpKTTo;  filv,  xa,iu,  ro  xixpii'^at  xa.}  xo<rfc7,o-ici 
Tec  Tavra  ai  uutou  tov  Qiov,  XiyiTai,  ovo/ua  xai  auTo  Tipiix"*  ayvaiTTov 
rufiatnaf,  oil  Tpovoy  xai  to  @ios  7rpo(raycpiu/i.a  oix  oy/>f/.d  itrriVf  aXXa  •n'payfi.aTos 
%vin%nynTov  if/.(puTos  tH  ipitrii  tuv  av^pavaiv  Sc^/,.  P.  44  D.  Compare  Apol. 
i.  pp.  58B(i2),  94D(i6). 

*  P.  277  B.  "  That  besides  the  All- wise  Father  of  the  universe,  another 
is  called  Lord  by  the  Holy  Spirit."  %ti  ku)  ■jrapa  toi  voju'^tioi'  ■^roifirhv  tu» 
eXuv  aXXos  tis  xupioXoytlTai  i'pro  toZ  ay'tov  -rtiufiaToi.  Compare  also  the  use 
of  the  word  hoXoyiiy  in  the  Hortatory  Address,  p.  20  E,  where  it  signifies 


Writitigs  of  Justin  Martyr.  7 

signifies  to  apply  the  title  "  Lord^'  to  Christ.  These  circum- 
stances, though  minute,  appear  to  me  to  confirm  the  suspicions 
respecting  the  spuriousness  of  the  work  which  Dupin  ^  seems 
to  have  formed  from  the  difference  between  the  style  and  that 
of  Justin's  acknowledged  writings.  I  shall,  therefore,  in  the 
following  pages,  confine  my  references  to  the  two  Apologies 
and  to  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho ;  the  fragment  of  the 
Treatise  on  Monarchy^  and  the  Address  to  the  Greeks,  whether 
genuine  or  not,  affording  nothing  which  can  assist  me  in  the 
prosecution  of  my  present  design. 

The  first  Apology,  which  stands  second  in  the  Paris  edition, 
was  addressed  to  Antoninus  Pius,  Marcus  Antoninus,  Lucius 
Verus,  the  Senate  and  the  people  of  Rome.  Authors  differ 
respecting  the  date.  Justin,  in  the  course  of  the  work,  speaks 
of  Christ  as  having  been  born  one  hundred  and  fifty  years . 
before,^  evidently  using  round  numbers.  There  are  allusions  to 
the  death  and  deification  of  Antinous,^  as  to  events  which  had 
recently  occurred ;  as  well  as  to  the  revolt  of  Barchochebas  * 
and  the  decree  of  Adrian,^  by  which  the  Jews  were  forbidden 
to  set  foot  in  Jerusalem  under  pain  of  death.  These  notices, 
however,  will  not  assist  us  in  determining  the  precise  year  in 

to  discourse  on  divine  things^  to  play  the  theologian,  and  in  the  Dialogue 
with  Trypho,  p.  277  C,  where  it  signifies  to  apply  the  title  ©saf  to  Christ, 
i]  euv  Hoi  aA.A.«v  •ma,  (loXoytTv  xai  KVfioXoyuv  to  w.vf/,u,  to  ayiov  (pari  v/niT;. 
It  is  used,  however,  in  the  former  sense,  p.  340  B.  "  You  learn  by  dis- 
coursing on  divine  things  why  at  first  an  A  was  added  to  the  name 
Abram."  aXXa  S/a  tI  f/.iv  tv  aX(pa  'XfuiTca  -Trfosiriin  tu>  ' Afifuafji,  Ivofian 
hoXoyi?;. 

^  Bibliothique,  tom.  i.  p.  58.  Casimir  Oudin  also  expressed  doubts 
respecting  the  genuineness  of  the  work,  De  Script.  Eccl.  tom.  i.  p.  187. 
His  arguments  are  stated  by  the  Benedictine  editors  in  their  preface, 
where  the  reader  will  also  find  their  reasons  for  believing  the  work  to 
be  the  same  as  that  mentioned  by  Eusebius  under  the  title  of  'iXiyx,oi, 
"refutation." 

'^  P.  83  B  (56).         3  p.  72  A  (38).        ^  P.  72  E  (39).         s  P.  84  B  (59). 


8  Some  Account  of  the 

which  the  treatise  was  composed.  DodwelP  supposed  it  to 
have  been  written  in  the  very  commencement  of  the  reign 
of  Antoninus  Pius,  before  Marcus  Antoninus  received  the 
appellation  of  Caesar,  because  he  is  not  designated  by  that  title 
in  the  introduction ;  but  many  critics,  among  them  the  Bene- 
dictine editors,  place  it  as  late  as  150,  The  treatise  itself 
highly  deserves  our  attention,  as  the  earliest  specimen  which 
has  reached  our  times  of  the  mode  in  which  the  Christians 
defended  the  cause  of  their  religion.  It  is  not  remarkable  for 
the  lucid  arrangement  of  the  materials  of  which  it  is  com- 
posed ;  its  contents,  however,  may  be  reduced  to  the  following 
heads : — L  Appeals  to  the  justice  of  the  ruling  powers,  and 
expostulations  with  them  on  the  unfairness  of  the  proceedings 
against  the  Christians,  who  were  condemned  without  any 
previous  investigation  into  their  lives  or  opinions,  merely 
because  they  were  Christians ;  and  were  denied  the  liberty, 
allowed  to  all  the  other  subjects  of  the  Roman  Empire,  of 
worshipping  the  God  whom  they  themselves  preferred.  2 
11.  Refutations  of  the  charges  of  atheism,  immorality,  dis- 
affection towards  the  Emperor,  which  were  brought  against  the 
Christians.3  These  charges  Justin  refutes  by  appealing  to  the 
purity  of  the  gospel  precepts,  and  to  the  amelioration  produced 
in  the  conduct  of  those  who  embraced  Christianity;  and  by 

^  Diss.  iii.  in  Irenxuni,  §  14.  See  the  Prolegomena  to  the  Bibliotheca 
Veterutn  Fuirmn,  Venice  1775,  ^oxa.  i.  c.  17,  §  i. 

Sjib  in.  54  D  (4),  56  E  (9),  68  D  (32).  Justin  plays  upon  the  words 
'^fitr'os  (Christ)  and  xf»"^'>i  (good),  p.  55  A  {5).  He  contends  that  the 
evil  lives  of  some  professing  themselves  Christians  ought  not  to  be  urged  as 
an  argument  against  Christianity  itself,  inasmuch  as  the  same  argument 
might  be  urged  with  still  greater  force  against  philosophy,  55  B  (6), 
56  C  (9). 

3  Pp.  56  B  (8),  70  B  (36),  58  E  (13),  59  A  (14),  60  C  (16),  61  B  (18), 
64  C  (25),  78  B  (47);  Apol.  ii.  p.  51  B.  In  the  second  passage  Justin 
seems  to  insinuate  that  the  charges  of  gross  sensuality  and  cruelty,  which 
were  falsely  alleged  against  the  orthodox,  might  possibly  be  truly  alleged 
against  the  heretics.     See  Dodwell,  Diss,  in  Iren.  iv.  §  26. 


Writwgs  of  Justin  Martyr.  9 

stating  that  the  kingdom  to  which  Christians  looked  forward 
was  not  of  this  world,  but  a  heavenly  kingdom.  III.  Direct 
arguments  in  proof  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  drawn  from 
miracles  and  prophecy.  With  respect  to  the  former,  Justin 
principally  occupies  himself  in  refuting  the  objection  that  the 
miracles  of  Christ  were  performed  by  magical  arts.^  With 
respect  to  the  latter,  he  states  in  forcible  terms  the  general 
nature  of  the  argument  from  prophecy,^  and  shows  the  accom- 
plishment of  many  particular  prophecies^  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  :  inferring,  from  their  accomplishment,  the  reasonable- 
ness of  entertaining  a  firm  persuasion  that  the  prophecies  yet 
unfulfilled  —  that,  for  instance,  respecting  Christ's  second 
advent — will  in  due  time  be  accomplished.^  IV.  Justin  does 
not  confine  himself  to  defending  Christianity,  but  occasionally 
becomes  the  assailant,  and  exposes  with  success  the  absurdities 
of  the  Gentile  polytheism  and  idolatry.^  In  further  confir- 
mation of  the  innocuous,  or  rather  beneficial  character  of 
Christianity,  Justin  ^  concludes  the  treatise  with  a  description 

1  P.  72  A  (38). 

^  P.  88  A  (65)  :  "  For  what  motive  could  ever  possibly  have  persuaded 
us  to  believe  a  crucified  man  to  be  the  first  begotten  of  the  unbegotten 
God,  and  that  He  should  come  to  be  the  Judge  of  all  the  world,  had  we 
not  met  with  those  prophetic  testimonies  of  Him  proclaimed  so  long  before 
His  incarnation,  and  were  we  not  eye-witnesses  to  the  fulfilment  of  them?" 
r/vi  yctf  av  Aoyai  a.vSfcwx'u  (rTttvpuiivri  I'Tn^ofii^a.,  on  rrfatTOTttxoi  tu  ayfvnrtf 
Siif  iffTi,  xa)  avris  t>j»  xpiiriy  rod  -^ravro;  av^ptonicu  yivous  vroifiiriTai,  u  //.h 
(/.dfTUfictj  •X'piv  »  iX^iTv  aurov  atHpeo^ron  yitiofiiMov,  xixnpuyf/.ivot,  •rtpi    avrou    iipofHn  ; 

X.  T.  i.  See  pp.  60  A  (i6),  72  B  (38),  and  some  remarks  on  the  inter- 
pretation of  prophecy,  76  D  (45),  Dial,  cum  Tryph.  p.  341  C. 

^  Among  the  prophecies  specified  are  Gen.  xlix.,  Ps.  i,  iii.  xix.  xxii.  xcvi. 
ex.,  Isa.  i.  ii.  vii.  ix.  xi.  xxxv.  1.  liii.  Ixiv.  Ixv.,  Micah  v.,  Zech.  ix.  See 
from  p.  73  to  p.  87  (40-65). 

*  P.  87  A  (62). 

^  P.  57  C  (11),  where  Justin  speaks  of  the  immoral  lives  of  the  artisans 
who  were  employed  in  making  idols.  58  A  (12),  67  A  (29).  In  p.  93  D 
(73)>  Justin  observes  that  the  most  unlearned  Christians  were  well  instructed 
in  the  knowledge  of  divine  things. 

"  P-  93  D  (73). 


lo  Some  Account  of  the 

of  the  mode  in  which  proselytes  were  admitted  into  the 
Church,  of  its  other  rites  and  customs,  and  of  the  habits  and 
manner  of  Ufe  of  the  primitive  Christians.  At  the  end  of  this 
treatise,  in  the  Paris  edition,  is  found  a  rescript  of  Adrian  in 
favour  of  the  Christians,  as  translated  by  Eusebius  ^  from  the 
Latin.  Justin  alludes  to  such  a  document  towards  the  con- 
clusion of  the  Apology,  and  its  genuineness  is  generally 
admitted.  There  is,  moreover,  an  edict,^  addressed  by 
Antoninus  Pius  to  the  Common  Council  of  Asia,  respecting 
which  doubts  are  entertained;  and  a  letter  of  Marcus  Antoninus 
to  the  Senate  of  Rome,  ascribing  his  victory  during  the  German 
War  to  the  prayers  of  the  Christian  soldiers  in  his  army.  This 
letter  is  manifestly  spurious. 

According  to  Eusebius,^  the  second  Apology  was  presented  to 
Marcus  Antoninus;  but  Pearson,  and  after  him  Thirlby,  thought 
that  it  was  addressed,  as  well  as  the  former,  to  Antoninus 
Pius,  relying  on  the  passage  in  p.  43  B  :  "  You  do  not  think  it 
fitting  for  a  pious  Emperor,  nor  for  the  son  of  a  philosophic 
Caesar,  nor  for  a  sacred  Senate."  In  the  title  it  is  said  to  be 
addressed  to  the  Roman  Senate ;  in  the  beginning  of  the 
treatise,  as  it  at  present  stands,  we  find  the  words  *'  O 
Romans,"  and,  subsequently,  the  expressions,  "  It  is  manifest 
to  you,"  " I  wish  to  know  you." *  But  we  also  find,  "To  thee, 
O  Emperor,"^  from  which  we  might  be  induced  to  suppose 
that  it  was  addressed  to  the  Emperor.  It  has  been  inferred, 
from  the  expectation  expressed  by  Justin,  p.  46  E,  that  he 

'  Eccl.  Hist.  1.  iv.  c.  9. 

"  See  Lardner's  Heathen  Testimonies,  c.  14.     He  defends  its  genuineness. 

'  L.  iv.  c.  16.  See  the  Note  of  Valesius  on  c.  17,  and  the  Prolegomena 
to  the  Bibliotheca  Vetcrum  Patrum,  torn.  i.  c.  17,  §  3.  We  find  in  p.  46  C 
the  expression,  yi-ovauviov  Si  |y  nTn  x.a.S'  r,/za;,  "  Musonius,  who  was  among 
those  who  belonged  to  us,"  but  it  affords  no  clue  to  the  date. 

*  P.  47  C,  B. 

'  P.  42  C.  See  also  p.  47  B,  fixinXixiv  S'  uv  xai  toZto  ipytv  i"ri,  "and 
this  also  may  be  a  kingly  work." 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 1 

should  become  the  victim  of  the  artifices  and  calumnies  of  the 
philosopher  Crescens,  that  he  composed  this  treatise  not  long 
before  his  martyrdom.  This  is  the  statement  of  Eusebius, 
I  iv.  c.  1 6.  Lardner  supposes  that  the  beginning  is  lost;  and 
it  appears  to  be  in  other  respects  imperfect.^  It  was  occasioned 
by  the  punishment  inflicted  on  three  persons  at  Rome,  whom 
Urbicus,  the  prefect  of  the  city,  had  put  to  death  merely 
because  they  were  Christians.  After  exposing  the  gross  in- 
justice of  this  proceeding,  Justin  rephes  to  two  objections 
which  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  were  accustomed  to  urge. 
The  first  was,  "Why,  if  the  Christians  were  certain  of  being 
received  into  heaven,  they  did  not  destroy  themselves,  and 
save  the  Roman  governors  the  trouble  of  putting  them  to 
death  ?  "  ^  Justin's  answer  is,  that  if  they  were  so  to  act  they 
would  contravene  the  designs  of  God,  by  diminishing  the 
number  of  believers,  preventing  the  diffusion  of  true  religion, 
and,  as  far  as  depended  upon  them,  extinguishing  the  human 
race.  The  second  objection  was,  "  Why,  if  they  were  regarded 
by  God  with  an  eye  of  favour.  He  suffered  them  to  be  exposed 
to  injury  and  oppression  ?"  ^  Justin  replies,  that  the  persecu- 
tions with  which  they  then  were,  and  with  which  many  virtuous 
men  among  the  heathens  had  before  been  visited,  originated  in 
the  malignant  artifices  of  demons,  the  offspring  of  the  apostate 
angels,  who  were  permitted  to  exercise  their  power  until  the 
designs  of  the  Almighty  were  finally  accomplished.  Another 
objection,*  of  a  different  kind,  appears  to  have  been  urged 
against  the  Christians  :  that  in  exhorting  men  to  live  virtuously, 

1  The  words  !r/)s=^»/i£v,  in  vrpolpn//.'.!),  "  we  have  said  before,"  "  as  we 
have  said  before,"  occur  pp.  43  D,  45  A,  46  C,  47  E.  Pearson  supposes 
the  references  to  be  to  the  first  Apology,  pp.  58  B  (12),  96  A  (80)  (perhaps 
rather  to  68  C  (31)  or  75  A  (43)),  83  C  (56),  71  C  (37). 

*  P.  43  C.  '  P.  43  E. 

*  P.  47  D.  Some  appear  also  to  have  urged  the  different  notions  of 
right  and  wrong  entertained  by  different  nations,  in  confirmation  of  the 
belief  that  all  actions  are  indifferent,  and  that  there  will  be  neither  rewards 
nor  punishments  after  death,  p.  48  A. 


12  Some  Account  of  the 

they  insisted,  not  upon  the  beauty  of  virtue,  but  upon  the 
eternal  rewards  and  punishments  which  await  the  virtuous  and 
wicked.  Justin  replies  that  these  are  topics  on  which  every 
believer  in  the  existence  of  God  must  insist,  since  in  that  belief 
is  involved  the  further  belief  that  He  will  reward  the  good  and 
punish  the  bad.  With  respect  to  direct  arguments  to  prove  the 
divine  origin  of  Christianity,^  that  which  Justin  principally  urges 
is  drawn  from  the  fact  that  no  man  ever  consented  to  die  in 
attestation  of  the  truth  of  any  philosophical  tenets ;  whereas 
men,  even  from  the  lowest  ranks  of  life,  braved  danger  and 
death  in  the  cause  of  the  gospel.  Towards  the  conclusion  of 
the  tract,^  Justin  states  that  he  was  himself  induced  to  em- 
brace Christianity  by  observing  the  courage  and  constancy  with 
which  its  professors  encountered  all  the  terrors  of  persecution. 

The  Dialogue  with  Trypho  was  posterior  to  the  first  Apology^ 
to  which  it  contains  a  reference ;  ^  but  with  respect  to  the 
precise  date,  there  is  the  same  difference  of  opinion  among 
the  critics  as  in  the  case  of  the  other  treatises.  Trypho  says 
of  himself*  that  he  resided  principally  at  Corinth,  having 
been  obliged  to  quit  Judaea  by  the  war  which  had  just 
taken  place;  in  which  passage  he  is  usually  supposed  to 
allude    to  the    revolt    of    Barchochebas ;    though    Dodwell  ^ 

'  P.  48  E.     Compare  Did.  p.  350  A. 

2  P.  50  A.     Compare  TertuUian's  Apology,  sub  fin. 

3  P.  349  C  :  "For  I  had  no  regard  for  any  of  my  people  (I  speak  of 
the  Samaritans),  when  I  compelled  Caesar  by  writing;  I  spoke  to  lead 
those  into  error  who  trust  in  Simon  iVIagus  of  their  race,  whom  they 
say  is  God  above  all  rule  and  power  and  strength."  ovhi  yap  uto  tov 
yivov;  ■tov  i/j,ov,  Xiyu  Vi  tuv  la.fjt.tt.fiuiv,  tivo(  tppovTiou  "^tuoufuvo;,  tyypccipaii 
Kaiiriepi  -rpaffeftiXuv,  iiTav  '!r>.ava.</6ai  alirov;  5r£/^s^£»ouf  ru  h  ru  yivu  auruf 
/j.uy'j>    lifiuvi,    ov    Slit    u-TfipoLtia    rracfn;    cipx^is   xa.i    \%iiufflai    xa)    d'jvuyius    thai 

x\you<rt.     See  Apol.  i.  p.  69  D  (33).     Compare  also  Apol.  ii.  p.  52  A, 

*  P.  217  D.     Compare  p.  227  A. 

*  Diss.  Iren.  iii.  §  14,  iv.  §  42.  See  the  Biblioiheca  Veterum  Patrun^ 
torn.  i.  c.  17,  §  2. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  13 

thinks  that  the  allusion  is  to  a  revolt  mentioned  by  Julius 
Capitolinus  in  his  Life  of  Antoninus  Fius.^  Scaliger  inferred, 
from  the  words,  "The  war  that  has  just  taken  place,"  that  the 
Diaolgue  was  composed  during  the  reign  of  Adrian.  But  even 
if  we  interpret  the  word  vvv  strictly,  the  fair  inference  is  that 
the  dialogue  then  took  place,  not  that  it  was  then  committed 
to  writing,^  which  was  done  some  time  afterwards  for  the  in- 
formation of  Justin's  friend,  Marcus  Pompeius.^  The  revolt  of 
Barchochebas,  however,  must  have  been  finally  suppressed 
before  the  dialogue  took  place,  since  there  is  a  reference  *  to 
the  decree  of  Adrian,  by  which  the  Jews  were  prevented  from 
going  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  they  are  said  no  longer  to  have 
possessed  the  power  of  persecuting  the  Christians.  The  word 
vvv  must  consequently  be  interpreted  with  some  degree  of 
latitude.  Some  critics  have  suspected  that  Justin's  Jew  is  a 
fictitious  personage,  or  at  least  that  no  such  dialogue  actually 
took  place  \  nor  are  there  wanting  circumstances  which  give 
countenance  to  the  suspicion.  The  introduction  looks  like  an 
imitation  of  the  introductions  to  Plato's  dialogues,  and  to  the 
philosophical  dialogues  of  Cicero.  It  is  difficult  also  to  con- 
ceive that  Justin  would  have  ventured  in  a  real  dialogue  ^  upon 

;  C.  5. 

*  Justin  mentions  in  p.  306  D  his  intention  of  committing  the  conversa- 
tion to  writing,  in  order  to  convince  the  Jews  that  he  really  entertained 
the  sentiments  which  he  had  expressed ;  and  that  he  did  not  put  them 
forth  merely  for  the  purpose  of  making  converts  of  Trypho  and  his  friends. 
From  more  than  one  passage  it  appears  that  Justin  did  not  put  down  all 
that  was  actually  said.     See  pp.  229  A,  278  B,  356  B,  357  E. 

^  P.  371  B.  Who  this  Marcus  Pompeius  was  is  unknown.  Thirlby, 
not  without  reason,  ridicules  Grabe's  conjecture  that  he  was  a  bishop  of 
Jerusalem. 

*  P.  234  A,  C. 

*  I  allude  particularly  to  his  derivation  of  the  words  Israel,  p.  354  D, 
and  Satan,  p.  331  B.  Jones,  however,  infers  from  the  latter  derivation 
that  Justin  was  acquainted  with  the  Syriac.  On  the  Canon,  Part  I.  c.  16, 
Thirlby  contends  that  Justin  was  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew,  or  rather 
that  these  derivations  do  not  prove  the  con'rary.     Note  on  p.  331  B. 


14  Some  Account  of  the 

the  interpretation  of  Hebrew  words  which  sometimes  occur; 
or  if  he  had  so  ventured,  that  his  opponents  would  have 
allowed  them  to  pass  uncontradicted.  The  suspicion,  how- 
ever, had  never  occurred  to  Eusebius,^  who  assigns  Ephesus 
as  the  scene  of  the  dialogue ;  and  Le  Nourry  thinks  that  he 
discovers  in  the  interruptions,  digressions,  etc.,  proofs  of  its 
reality.  Whether  it  was  real  or  not  is  immaterial  to  our  pur- 
pose, which  is  only  to  ascertain  what  were  Justin's  opinions. 
If  it  was  real,  it  occupied  two  days ;  on  the  latter  of  which 
some  Jews  were  present,  who  did  not  hear  the  former  day's 
disputation,  and  on  whose  account  Justin  repeats  several  argu- 
ments which  he  had  before  urged. ^  The  part  containing  the 
end  of  the  first  and  the  beginning  of  the  second  day's  dis- 
putation is  lost,  as  is  proved  by  the  references,^  found  in  the 

1  Hist.  Eccl.  1.  iv.  c.  i8.     See  p.  237  C. 

»  See  pp.  304  A,  311  D,  320  B,  322  B,  346  D,  351  A,  352  E.  The 
name  of  one  of  those  who  were  present  only  on  the  second  day  was 
Mnaseas,  p.  312  B. 

'  See  pp.  306  A,  D,  333  A,  364  A.  See,  however,  pp.  288  E,  291  D, 
and  Grabe's  remark,  Spicil.  torn.  ii.  p.  162.  The  Benedictine  editors 
deny  that  there  is  anything  wanting,  and  account  for  these  appearances 
by  saying  that,  as  Justin  wrote  down  his  conversation  with  Trypho  from 
memory,  he  sometimes  forgot  to  insert  passages  to  which  he  afterwards 
referred,  supposing  that  he  had  inserted  them. 

It  has  been  remarked  to  me  that  I  was,  in  the  former  edition  of  this 
work,  guilty  of  an  omission  in  taking  no  notice  of  the  doubt  cast  upon  the 
genuineness  of  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho  by  Wetstein,  in  the  Prolegomena 
to  his  edition  of  the  Greek  Testament.  I  will  now,  therefore,  supply  that 
omission.  Wetstein's  words  are — "Ego  vero  cuperem  mihi  eximi  scrupu- 
lum  de  hujus  Dialogi  auctore  ex  diligenti  ejus  lectione  injectum,  nimirum, 
quod  non  utatur  in  Veteris  Testamenti  locis  citandis  Versione  t»»  0',  sed 
magis  accedat  ad  Origenis  Editionem  Hexaplarem ;  quum  quas  Origenes 
obelis  jugulavit  omittat,  quibusque  asteriscos  apposuit  addat  etiam  :  quum 
idem  in  Daniele  alia  Versione,  nescio  an  Symmachi,  utatur.  Si  Justinus 
mortuus  est,  antequam  Symmachi  atque  Theodotionis  Versio  ederetur,  et 
si  integro  sseculo  prsecessit  Origenem,  quomodo  potuit  istius  opere  uti  ? 
aut  si  non  usus  est,  quomodo  potuit  accidere  ut  prorsus  eadem  verba 
iisdem  in  locis  adderet  vel  demeret,  ubi  ille  vel  asteriscis  quid  vel  obelis 
significaverit  ?      Quare   de  hoc   auctore    quid   statuendum    sit,    doctiores 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  15 

latter  part  of  the  dialogue,  to  arguments  and  quotations  which 
no  longer  appear. 

viderint ;  mihi  rem  compertam  proposuisse  sat  est."  In  the  eighth  chapter 
of  this  work  I  have  shown  that  Justin  frequently  quoted  from  memory. 
No  inference,  therefore,  unfavourable  to  the  genuineness  of  the  Dialogue, 
could  be  drawn  from  the  want  of  agreement  between  his  quotations  and 
the  present  text  of  the  Septuagint  version,  even  if  that  text  accurately 
represented  the  text  as  it  stood  in  his  day.  But  that  is  not  the  case.  It  is 
admitted  on  all  hands  that  we  possess  no  pure  copy  of  that  version  as  it 
existed  before  the  time  of  Origen.  Although,  therefore,  Justin's  quota- 
tions differ  from  the  present  text,  they  may  have  agreed  with  the  text  of 
the  edition  of  the  Septuagint  version  [n  xoivvi)  generally  used  in  his  time. 
The  same  remark  applies  to  the  Hexaplar  edition,  as  corrected  by  Origen  : 
we  possess  no  pure  copy  of  that  edition,  and  cannot  infer  from  the  agree- 
ment of  Justin's  quotations  with  the  present  Hexaplar  text  that  they 
agreed  with  that  text  as  framed  by  Origen.  On  the  supposition,  then,  that 
Wetstein's  statements  were  correct,  they  would  afford  very  slight  ground 
for  questioning  the  genuineness  of  the  Dialogue,  ascribed,  as  it  is,  expressly 
to  Justin  by  Eusebius,  and  containing,  as  it  does,  many  internal  marks  of 
genuineness. 

But  M.  Krom,  minister  of  the  Church,  and  Professor  of  Ecclesiastical 
History  in  the  College  of  Middleburgh,  in  a  tract  published  in  1778  (for 
the  use  of  which  I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Professor  Jeremie  of 
the  East  India  College)  denies  the  correctness  of  Wetstein's  statements. 
He  examines  several  of  Justin's  quotations,  particularly  a  very  long  one 
from  Isaiah  lii.,  liii.,  liv.,  and  shows  that  they  agree  in  general  with 
the  present  text  of  the  Septuagint  version,  even  in  places  in  which  it 
differs  widely  from  the  versions  of  Symmachus  and  Theodotion  ;  and  that 
neither  are  the  words  marked  with  asterisks  in  the  Hexaplar  edition  gene- 
rally inserted,  nor  those  marked  with  obeli  omitted.  Thus  that  which 
Wetstein  denominates  res  comperta  proves,  on  a  more  accurate  examina- 
tion, to  be  contrary  to  fact. 

M.  Krom,  however,  admits  that  Justin's  quotations  do  occasionally 
differ  from  the  present  text  of  the  Septuagint,  and  assigns  several  causes 
from  which  the  difference  may  have  arisen.  Justin  may  have  either  quoted 
from  memoiy,  or,  satisfied  with  representing  the  sense  of  the  passage,  may 
have  been  careless  about  the  words ;  or,  as  I  have  already  suggested,  the 
text  of  the  Septuagint  version  which  he  used  may  have  differed  from  the 
present  text.  One  remarkable  instance  of  such  a  difference  occurs,  p. 
348  E,  where  Justin  affirms  that  in  the  Greek  version  used  by  the  Jews, 
the  reading  of  Gen.  xlix.  10  was  :«?  c>  h.h  rk  u'^ox.uui-.x.  alrXI,    "until 


1 6  Some  Account  of  the 

The  remark  which  was  made  upon  the  first  Apology  applies 
equally  to  this  work :  it  is  not  perspicuously  written,  and  we 
have  difficulty  in  discovering  the  train  of  the  author's  reasoning. 
After  an  introduction/  in  which  Justin  gives  an  account  of  the 
manner  of  his  conversion  to  Christianity,  and  earnestly  exhorts 

that  which  is  in  store  (Shiloh)  come,"  whereas  the  reading  of  the  Septuagint 
was  i«5  a.M  'i'k(y\  u  aTaKurai,  *'  until  that  which  is  in  store  for  him  shall  come." 
In  our  present  text,  however,  the  reading  is  not  S  cct'o-^htui,  butra  a'TOKilfiiva 
avTu.  The  passage  is  twice  quoted  in  the  first  Apology,  and  in  both  instances 
the  reading  is  o  (manifestly  an  error  of  the  transcriber)  i.^^'oxurai.  Another 
consideration  which  ought  to  render  us  diffident  in  drawing  conclusions  from 
Justin's  quotations  is,  that  in  his  writings,  as  well  as  in  those  of  the  other 
Fathers,  the  transcribers  appear  frequently  to  have  corrected  his  quotations 
by  the  text  of  the  Septuagint  version  which  they  used.  This  circumstance 
will  account  for  the  instances  in  which  words  marked  with  asterisks  in  the 
Hexaplar  edition  are  inserted,  or  words  marked  with  obeli  omitted. 

With  respect  to  Justin's  quotations  from  Daniel,  if  (as  we  suppose)  he 
quoted  the  edition  of  the  Septuagint  then  generally  used,  his  quotations 
could  not  but  differ  from  our  present  text,  wliich  is  not  the  text  of  the 
Septuagint,  but  of  Theodotion.  M.  Krom,  however,  denies  the  existence 
of  that  close  resemblance  between  Justin's  quotations  and  the  version  of 
Symmachus,  which  Wetstein  professes  to  have  found  ;  and  states  that  they 
approach  more  nearly  to  the  readings  of  the  version  which  was  published, 
under  the  title  Daniel  secundum  Septuaginia  ex  Tetraplis  Origenis,  from 
the  Codex  Chisianus.  Justin  more  than  once  refers  to  a  Greek  version 
used  by  the  Jews,  pp.  353  C,  360  C,  367  A,  and  supposed  by  some  to  be 
the  Version  of  Aquila.  In  some  instances  he  probably  adopted  its  read- 
ings :  Symmachus,  in  framing  his  version,  may  have  done  the  same ;  and 
we  may  thus  account  for  any  occasional  agreement  which  may  be  found 
between  Justin's  quotations  and  the  version  of  Symmachus.  The  con- 
clusion, therefore,  at  which  we  arrive  is,  that  Wetstein's  statements  are 
incorrect ;  and  that,  even  if  they  were  correct,  they  would  furnish  very  slight 
grounds  for  questioning  the  genuineness  of  the  Dialogue  with  Trypko. 

Wetstein  appears,  on  nearly  similar  grounds,  to  have  cast  doubts  on  the 
genuineness  of  nearly  the  whole  of  Philo's  works.  He  was  answered  by 
Wesseling  in  an  Epistle  to  Herman  Venema  de  Aquike  in  scriptis  Philonis 
Judczi  fragmentis,  published  in  1748,  which  has  not  fallen  in  my  way. 

The  editor  of  the  Bibliotheca  Veterum  Patrum  has  also  examined 
Wetstein's  objections  in  his  Prolegomena. 

'  From  the  beginning  to  p.  225  D. 


Wrifinos  of  Justin  Martyr.  17 

Trypho  to  follow  his  example,  Trypho  replies  to  the  exhorta- 
tion by  saying  that  Justin  would  have  acted  more  wisely  in 
adhering  to  any  one  of  the  philosophical  sects  to  which  he  had 
formerly  been  attached,  than  in  leaving  God,  and  placing  all 
his  reliance  upon  a  man.^  In  the  former  case,  if  he  lived 
virtuously,  he  might  hope  to  obtain  salvation ;  in  the  latter,  he 
could  have  no  hope.  His  only  safe  course,  therefore,  was  to 
be  circumcised,  and  comply  with  the  other  requisitions  of  the 
Mosaic  law.  Justin  answers  that  the  Christians  had  not 
deserted  God,  though  they  no  longer  observed  the  ceremonial 
law.2  They  worshipped  the  God  who  brought  the  forefathers 
of  the  Jews  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  gave  the  law,  but 
who  had  plainly  declared  by  the  prophets  that  He  should  give 
a  new  law — a  law  appointing  a  new  mode  of  purification  from 
sin  by  the  baptism  of  repentance  and  of  the  knowledge  of 
God  ^ — and  requiring  a  spiritual,  not  a  carnal  circumcision.'* 
The  ceremonial  law*  was  in  truth  given  to  the  Jews  on 
account  of  the  hardness  of  their  hearts  as  a  mark  of  God's 
displeasure  at  their  apostasy  when  they  made  the  golden  calf 

^  P.  225  D.  Trypho  admits  that  he  did  not  believe  the  horrible 
charges  brought  against  the  Christians ;  and  says  that  the  morality  of  the 
gospel  was  of  a  character  so  sublime  that  no  man  could  live  up  to  it, 
p.  227  B. 

^  P.  227  E.  One  objection  urged  against  the  Christians  was,  that  they 
drank  hot  drinks  on  the  Sabbath.     See  Thirlby's  Note,  p.  246  E. 

^  P.  229  D.     See  pp.  251  C,  287  C,  292  B,  351  B. 

*  Pp.  229  C,  233  D,  235  E,  236  C,  245  D,  261  D,  341  A,  342  A,  366  D. 
Justin  states  that  one  design  of  the  rite  of  circumcision  was  to  distinguish 
the  Jews  from  other  people,  particularly  in  the  latter  times,  when  they 
were  to  suffer  the  punishment  decreed  against  them  for  crucifying  the 
Messiah,  pp.  234  A,  236  B,  238  A,  where  he  quotes  Ezek.  xx.  19,  p. 
366  E.  Christians  had  the  true  circumcision,  that  of  the  heart,  p.  320  A. 
The  Jews  affixed  a  carnal  meaning  to  all  the  ordinances  of  the  law, 
p.  231  D. 

*  Pp.  235  E,  237  A,  244  C,  E,  263  E,  265  B,  291  D.  In  p.  247  A, 
Justin  seems  to  contend  that  the  reasonableness  of  tlie  ceremonial  law 
can  only  be  maintained  on  this  supposition.     In  p.   263  A,  he  says  that 


1 8  Some  Account  of  the 

in  Horeb.  All  its  ordinances,  its  sacrifices,  its  Sabbath,  the 
prohibition  of  certain  kinds  of  foods,  were  designed  to 
counteract  the  inveterate  tendency  of  the  Jews  to  fall  into 
idolatry.^  If,  says  Justin,  we  contend  that  the  ceremonial 
law  is  of  universal  and  perpetual  obligation,  we  run  the 
hazard  of  charging  God  with  inconsistency,  as  if  He  had 
appointed  different  modes  of  justification  at  different  times  ; 
since  they  who  lived  before  Abraham  were  not  circumcised, 
and  they  who  lived  before  Moses  neither  observed  the  Sabbath,^ 
nor  offered  sacrifices,  although  God  bore  testimony  to  them 
that  they  were  righteous.  Having,  as  he  thinks,  satisfactorily 
proved  that  the  ceremonial  law  is  no  longer  binding,  Justin 
replies  to  an  argument  urged  by  Trypho,  that  the  prophecy  of 
Dan.  vii.  9  taught  the  Jews  to  expect  that  the  Messiah  would 
be  great  and  glorious ;  whereas  the  Messiah  of  the  Christians 
was  unhonoured  and  inglorious,  and  fell  under  the  extreme 
curse  of  the  law— for  He  was  crucified.     Justin's  answer  is,^ 

some  parts  of  the  law  were  designed  to  enforce  piety  and  justice ;  others 
referred  mystically  to  Christ ;  others  were  directed  against  the  hardness  of 
heart  of  the  Jews.  In  p.  263  E,  he  distinguishes  between  the  authority  of 
the  natural  and  ritual  law ;  in  p.  292  C,  between  that  which  is  of  per- 
petual and  universal  obligation  {rki  aluvla;  xa.)  (fivini  lix.a.io'rpa.'^.a.s  »ai 
ih<n!liU/.s,  p.  266  B  ;  TO.  aU'via  "Sixaiafiara,  p.  264  D)  and  that  which  was 
merely  directed  against  the  perversement  of  the  Jewish  people.  In  p. 
320  E,  he  refers  to  the  (pu/rmai  'iwoiai,  the  sense  of  right  and  wrong 
implanted  in  our  nature.     See  Apol.  ii.  p.  52  A. 

^  P.  240  E.  See  also  pp.  236  C,  245  B,  261  C,  265  A,  292  A,  319  C, 
320  B. 

-  It  has  been  inferred,  as  it  appears  to  me  erroneously,  from  Justin's 
reasoning  in  this  passage,  that  he  believed  the  first  institution  of  the 
Sabbath  and  of  the  rite  of  sacrifice  to  have  taken  place  during  the  so- 
journing of  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness.  I  conceive  him  to  have  alluded 
to  the  peculiar  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  law,  and  to  the  peculiar  mode  in 
which  the  Jews  kept  the  Sabbath.  In  p.  236,  he  speaks  of  the  sacrifices 
offered  by  Abel. 

'  P.  249  C.  See  also  pp.  232  D,  245  D,  247  E,  268  B.  Apol.  i.  p, 
87  A  (p.  63).  Justin  refers,  in  proof  of  the  twofold  Advent,  to  Ps.  ex.,  which 
the  jews  interpreted  of  Hezekiah,  pp.   250  D,  309  B  ;  to  Ps.  Ixxii.,  which 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr,  19 

that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  speak  of  two  ad- 
vents of  the  Messiah, — one  in  humihation,  the  other  in  glory ; 
though  the  Jews,  blinded  by  their  prejudices,  looked  only  to 
those  passages  which  foretold  the  latter.  He  then  proceeds 
to  quote  passages  of  the  Old  Testament  ^  in  which  the  Messiah 
is  called  God  and  Lord  of  hosts.  In  this  part  of  the  Dialogue 
Justin  extracts  from  the  Old  Testament  several  texts  in  which 
he  finds  allusions  to  the  gospel  history.  Thus  the  Paschal 
Lamb  was  a  type  of  Christ's  crucifixion  ;  ^  the  offering  of  fine 
flour  for  those  who  were  cleansed  from  the  leprosy  was  a 
type  of  the  bread  in  the  Eucharist ;  ^  the  twelve  bells  attached 
to  the  robe  of  the  high  priest,  of  the  twelve  apostles.* 

Justin  next  undertakes  to  prove  that  the  various  prophecies 
respecting  the  Messiah  were  fulfilled  in  Jesus.^  But  having 
quoted  Isa.  vii.  to  prove  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  born  of  a 
Virgin,*^  he  first  runs  into  a  digression  caused  by  an  inquiry 

they  interpreted  of  Solomon,  pp.  251  D,  288  D ;  to  Gen.  xlix.,  pp.  271  C, 
272  C  ;  Micah  iv.,  p.  336  A,  which  the  Jews  themselves  applied  to  the 
Messiah.  Justin  speaks  of  the  personal  appearance  of  Christ  as  mean — 
an  opinion  derived  from  the  literal  interpretation  of  Isa.  liii.  2,  3,  pp. 
255  C,  326  E,  316  C,  311  A.  The  two  goats  mentioned  in  Lev.  xvi.  7 
were  also  types  of  the  two  Advents,  pp.  259  D,  338  A. 

^  He  refers  to  Ps.  xxiv.,  p.  310  E,  which  the  Jews  applied  to  Solomon, 
p.  254  E,  or  to  Hezekiah ;  Ps.  xlvii.  and  Ps.  xcix.,  p.  255  D,  E ;  Ps.  xlv., 
p.  256  E.  Justin  also  founds  an  argiunent  on  the  fulfilment  of  the  pre- 
dictions of  Christ  Himself  respecting  the  false  prophets  who  would  come 
in  His  name,  p.  253  B. 

''■  P.  259  B,  3  P.  259  E. 

*  P.  260  D.     Ex.  xxxix.  25.     The  number  of  bells  is  not  mentioned. 

'  Trypho  had  called  upon  Justin  to  give  this  proof,  pp.  254  C,  258  E. 
It  was  impossible,  he  contended,  that  a  crucified  man  should  have  con- 
versed with  Moses  and  Aaron,  p.  256  C. 

®  P.  262  A.  The  Jews  contended  that  the  word  translated  vapfivoi, 
"virgin,"  ought  to  be  translated  v=Sv/?,  "  young  woman,"  and  applied  the 
prediction  to  Hezekiah,  pp.  291  A,  294  A,  297  D.  See  also  p.  310  C, 
where  Justin  contends  that  the  mere  fact  of  a  young  woman  giving  birth 
to  a  son  could  not  be  deemed  a  sign. 


20  Some  Account  of  the 

from  Trypho,!  whether  Jews,  who  led  holy  lives,  like  Job, 
Enoch,  and  Noah,  but  observed  the  Mosaic  law,  could  be 
saved ;  and  afterwards  into  a  second  digression,  occasioned  by 
a  remark  of  Trypho  that  the  Christian  doctrine  ^  respecting  the 

^  P.  263  C. 

*  P.  267  B.  Trypho  here  expressly  asserts  that  the  Jews  expected  in 
their  Messiah  a  mere  man  whom  Elias  was  to  anoint.  "  For  we  all  look  for 
Christ  the  man  born  of  men,  and  Elias  who  will  anoint  Him. "  xai  yk^  -Ttatm 

ri/uiT;  TOD   'Xpitrrof   av^pu^ov    it    av^pcuTu)/    rfpoirioic'^fiiv    yivfiffiffiaij   ku.)    <rov   'HXixv 

XP'''^"!  aiiTo-j  ix^ivra.  P.  268  A.  Allix,  in  his  Jtidgment  of  the  Jewish 
Church,  c.  25,  suh  in.,  had  remarked  that  this  was  Justin's  representation 
of  the  expectation  of  the  Jews  in  his  day,  "  A  greater  objection,"  he 
says,  "  than  all  these  may  be  very  naturally  made  by  a  judicious  reader, 
concerning  what  I  said  of  the  testimonies  of  the  Jews  before  Christ 
about  the  distinction  of  the  divine  Persons  and  the  divinity  of  the  Aiyo;. 
On  the  one  side  may  he  say,  you  own  that  the  Jews  after  Christ  have 
opposed  the  doctrine,  as  being  contrary  to  the  unity  of  God  ;  there  art 
plain  proofs  of  it,  even  in  the  second  century.  And  it  is  certain  that 
Trypho  did  not  believe  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  any  other  than  a  mere 
man,  and  so  did  the  Jews  believe,  as  it  is  witnessed  by  Origen,  lib.  ii. 
contr.  Cels.  p.  79."  Burgh  also  had  spoken  of  Trypho  as  arguing  in  the 
very  spirit  of  modern  Unitarianism,  vol.  i.  p.  86.  Yet  I  find  in  Dr, 
Burton's  Testimonies  of  the  Ante-Nicene  Fathers,  p.  41  (2nd  ed.  p.  47), 
the  following  statement:  "Justin,  Dial,  cum  Trypho,  c.  Ixviii.  p.  166, 
Ed.  Bened.  The  next  passage  is  important,  as  showing  the  opinion  which 
the  Jews  entertained  concerning  their  Messiah.  Justin's  words  are  these  ; 
'  As  to  the  Scriptures  which  we  quote  to  them  (the  Jews)  which  expressly 
prove  mat  Christ  was  to  suffer  and  to  be  worshipped,  and  that  He  is  God, 
they  are  compelled  to  allow  that  these  were  spoken  concerning  Christ,  but 
they  have  the  presumption  to  say  that  this  (Jesus)  is  not  the  Christ ;  but 
they  acknowledge  that  He  was  to  come,  and  to  suffer,  and  to  be  a  King, 
and  to  be  worshipped  as  God. ' 

"  According  to  the  opinion  of  the  Jews,  therefore,  who  ought  to  be  the 
best  interpreters  of  their  own  prophecies,  the  human  nature  and  the 
humble  condition  of  Jesus  were  not  the  obstacles  to  their  believing  Him  to 
be  the  Messiah  ;  and  it  was  their  belief,  as  it  is  that  of  Christians,  that  the 
Messiah,  who  was  to  come,  was  God.  Dr.  Priestley  was,  therefore,  entirely 
at  variance  with  Justin  Martyr  when  he  said  '  that  the  Jews  expected 
that  their  Messiah  would  be  a  mere  man,  and  even  be  born  as  other  men 
are.'  If  Justin  reported  the  opinion  of  the  Jews  fairly,  their  expectations 
concerning  the  Messiah  were  directly  opposite  to  these."     (In  his  second 


Writings  of  J  us  Hit  Martyr.  21 

pre-existence  and  divinity  of  Christ,  and  His  subsequent 
assumption  of  humanity,  was  monstrous  and  absurd. 

edition  the  learned  author  adds,  "  And  a  remarkable  expression  of  Philo- 
Judaeus  may  be  quoted  in  this  place,  who,  when  he  is  sjDeaking  of  the 
repugnance  felt  by  the  Jews  to  pay  divine  honours  to  Caligula,  observes, 
that  they  would  more  easily  believe  that  God  would  change  into  man  than 
a  man  into  God.")  "  Origen,  however,  certainly  says  that  all  the  Jews 
did  not  expect  their  Messiah  to  come  as  God  or  Son  of  God.  We  may 
observe  also  that  in  this  and  other  places  already  quoted  (see  No.  25,  p. 37, 
and  ed.  p.  42)  Justin  expressly  says  that  Christ  is  to  be  -worshipped  as  God  ; 
and  yet  he  as  plainly  says  in  many  places  that  there  is  only  one  God. 

"Justin's  arguments  in  this  chapter  arise  from  the  following  remark  of 
Trypho,  who  said  to  him,  '  You  are  attempting  to  demonstrate  a  thing 
which  is  incredible  and  almost  impossible,  that  God  submitted  to  be  born, 
and  to  become  man.'  Justin,  however,  acknowledges  the  proposition,  and 
proceeds  to  demonstrate  it." 

In  the  above  statement  there  are  several  particulars  in  which  I  must  be 
permitted  to  dissent  from  the  learned  author.  I  cannot  allow  that  the 
Jews  ougJd  to  be  the  best  interpreters  of  their  own  p7-ophecies :  if  so,  we 
Christians  are  sadly  in  error.  But  perhaps  the  learned  author  meant  to  say 
that  the  Jews  ought  to  be  the  best  interpreters  of  the  meaning  which  they 
themselves  affixed  to  their  own  prophecies.  Again,  I  cannot  allow  that, 
according  to  Justin's  representation  of  the  opinions  of  the  Jews  in  his  day, 
the  humble  condition  of  Jesus  was  not  an  obstacle  to  their  believing  Him 
to  be  the  Messiah.     In  p.    249  B  is  the  following  passage  :  Kai  i  Tpiipuv, 

Vauffafiiviu  fiav,  utrn,  Z  ay^piw^rt,  avtai  tlfta:  ai  ypa^x^i  x,xi  ToiavTxi  ivio^oy 
xa.)  fiiyay  a.\ic.f/,i)itiv,  to?  Tccpx  rou  '^aXaiou  Tut  ny.ifcm  us  viov  atfpiuvov  rapa- 
Xay.ficivoyra  <rh>  aitCviov  (iairiXiiKt,  avaynii^curiv  outos  oi  0  v/i'iTipof  Xiyo/xzvis 
XpiffTos  arifit;  xat  aio^o:  yiyoviv,  ui;  xa)  t?  itr^arri  xxrccpx  rri  «v  <ru  vifitu  tcu 
Siou  ■npiviffiTv  iffruvpa^n  yap.  "  And  Trypho,  when  I  concluded,  said, 
these  and  similar  passages  of  Scripture  compel  us  to  look  for  a  glorious 
and  great  personage,  who,  as  the  Son  of  man,  is  to  receive  an  eternal 
kingdom  from  the  Ancient  of  Days  :  whereas  He  whom  you  call  Christ  was 
unhonoured  and  inglorious,  so  as  even  to  fall  under  the  extreme  curse  of  the 
law  ;  for  He  was  crucified."  Justin,  in  answer  to  this  objection,  proceeds 
to  show  at  considerable  length  that  the  prophets  speak  of  two  Advents  of 
the  Messiah ;  the  one  in  humiliation,  the  other  in  gloiy.  Surely  he  might 
have  spared  himself  this  trouble,  if  he  had  not  supposed  that  the  humble 
condition  of  Jesus  was  an  obstacle  to  His  being  received  by  the  Jews  as 
their  Messiah. 

Lastly,  notwithstanding  the  learned   author's   statement,    I   must  still 


2  2  So7ne  Account  of  the 

One  argument  urged  by  Trypho,i  in  order  to  prove  that  Jesus 
was  not  the  Messiah,  is  that  Elias,  who,  according  to  the  pro- 
adhere  to  the  opinion  expressed  by  Allix,  "that  Trypho,"  whom  Justin  brings 
forward  as  representing  the  Jews  of  his  day,  "did  not  believe  that  the  Messiah 
was  to  be  any  other  than  a  mere  man."  I  observe  that  Justin  takes  con- 
siderable pains  to  prove  that  the  ancient  prophets  have  applied  the  titles  of 
God  and  Lord  of  hosts  to  the  future  Messiah  (see  p.  254  E,  et sequ.). 
This  was  surely  an  unnecessary  waste  of  time  and  labour,  if  the  prevalent 
belief  of  the  Jews  of  his  day  was  that  the  Messiah,  who  was  to  cotne,  was 
God.  To  what  purpose  does  Trypho  quote  Isa.  xlii.  8  (p.  289  B),  but  in 
order  to  prove  the  absolute  unity  of  God,  in  opposition  to  Justin's  assertions 
respecting  the  divinity  of  the  Messiah?  But  to  remove  all  doubt  on  the  subject, 
let  us  consider  the  whole  passage  from  which  the  sentence  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  note  is  an  extract.  Trypho  thus  addresses  Justin,  avaXa/Saiv 
all  K.  T.  i.,  p.  267  A.  "  Finish  your  argument,  taking  it  up  from  the  point 
where  you  left  off;  for  to  me  it  appears  strange  and  wholly  incapable  of 
proof."  (May  I  suggest  to  the  learned  author,  on  whose  remark  I  am 
commenting,  the  propriety  of  reconsidering  the  translation  of  this  sentence 
iri  p.  39  N,  27  ?  I  observe  that  it  is  allowed  in  his  second  edition,  p.  45.) 
"  For  that  you  should  say  that  this  Christ  existed,  being  God,  before  all 
ages,  and  then  submitted  to  be  born  and  to  become  a  man,  and  that  He 
was  not  a  man  born  of  man,  appears  to  me  not  only  strange,  but  foolish." 
Justin  replies,  "I  know  that  this  doctrine  appears  strange,  and  especially 
to  those  of  your  race,  who,  as  God  Himself  exclaims,  were  never  willing 
either  to  understand  or  do  what  God  prescribes,  but  listen  only  to  your 
own  teachers.  But,  even  if  I  cannot  show  that  this  Jesus  pre-existed, 
being  God,  the  Son  of  the  Maker  of  the  universe,  and  became  man  born 
of  the  Virgin,  even  then  it  does  not  follow  that  He  is  not  the  Christ  of 
God.  But  as  I  have  shown  that  He,  whoever  He  may  be,  is  the  Christ  of 
God,  though  I  may  not  have  shown  that  He  pre-existed  and  submitted,  in 
compliance  with  the  will  of  His  Father,  to  be  born  a  man,  subject  to  like 
passions  with  us,  and  having  flesh,  you  ought  to  say  that  I  am  mistaken 
only  in  this  (latter)  respect,  but  ought  not  to  deny  that  He  is  the  Christ, 
(even)  if  He  appears  as  a  man  born  of  men,  and  is  proved  to  be  elected  to 
the  office  of  the  Messiah."  If  Justin  thought  that  he  was  addressing  men 
who  believed  that  the  Messiah,  who  was  to  come,  was  God,  he  must  be 
allowed  to  be  most  unfortunate  in  the  selection  of  his  arguments.     Then 


^  P.  268  A.     Justin's  answer  to  Trypho's  inquiry,   "  How  the  spirit  of 
Elias  could  be  in  John  ?  "  deserves  notice,  p.  269  A. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  23 

phets,  was  to  be  the  precursor  of  the  Messiah,  had  not  appeared. 
Justin  answers  that  the  prophecies  concerning  Elias  had,  with 

follows  a  passage  which  has  furnished  ample  matter  for  discussion  ;  con- 
taining an  admission  on  the  part  of  Justin  that  there  were  persons  in  his 
day  who  confessed  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  but  said  that  He  was  a 
mere  man.  To  this  reasoning  of  Justin,  Trypho  replies  in  the  following 
manner  :  '-^ot  fci»  ooxovvit  ol  Xiyovri?  ati^u'roi  ytyovivai  kutov,  xcci  xar  IxXoyriv 
"■-XP"^^'^'!  "•"'■'  XpCTov  yiyotivai,  •pniavtunpoD  vfiut  Xiyiiv,  tui  raura  a-jeip  (pii; 
Xiyovraiv  xat  yap  Tatrts  rif^ii;  to»  Xpurrov  a.v^pai'rov  i|  a.iipui'Vbii  •^poahoKuf/.n 
yivnfficSir.i,  xai  rot  HX/«v  ^pi(rui  uutov  iXioiTa-  lav  oi  cvts;  (paivtirat  an  o 
'K.pifm;,  av^puivei  fjt.'.^  f|  avfpwTrav  yi'.iy.ivm  ix  Tayro;  i'Xir"ra<r^ai  Ssr  ix  Ss  tcu 
firiSi  'HXlay  iXtiXv^'ivai  null  toZtov  arotpaivifiai  iTvai.  "  What  they  say,  who 
affirm  that  He  was  born  a  man,  and  was  selected  to  be  anointed,  and  thus 
became  Christ,  appears  to  me  more  credible  than  what  is  said  by  them  who 
talk  as  you  do.  For  we  all  expect  that  the  Christ  will  be  born  a  man  from 
human  parents,  and  that  Elias  will  come  and  anoint  Him.  If,  therefore, 
this  (Jesus)  appears  to  be  the  Christ,  be  assured  that  He  was  a  man  born 
of  men  ;  but  as  Elias  has  not  yet  come,  I  affirm  that  He  was  not  the 
Christ."  We  must  either  say  that  Trypho  does  not  express  the  opinion  of 
the  Jews  of  his  day,  or  that  their  belief  was  not  ^/mi  the  Messiah,  who  luas 
to  come,  was  God. 

But  what  are  we  to  say  to  the  passage  produced  by  Dr.  Burton  ?  Let 
us  examine  it  in  connexion  with  the  context.  As  Dr.  Burton  observes, 
Trypho  had  said  to  Justin,  "  You  are  attempting  to  demonstrate  a  thing, 
which  is  incredible  and  almost  impossible,  that  God  submitted  to  be  born 
and  became  man,"  p.  292  D.  Justin  answers  that,  if  he  had  endeavoured 
to  establish  this  point  by  appealing  to  human  authority,  Trypho  might  have 
justly  been  indignant ;  but  he  had  rested  the  proof  entirely  on  the  autho- 
rity of  Scripture.  Justin  subsequently  asks  Trypho,  "  Do  you  understand 
that  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  any  other  person  is  proposed  as  an  object  of 
worship,  and  is  called  Lord  and  God,  besides  Him  who  made  this  universe, 
and  Christ,  who  has  been  proved  by  so  many  quotations  from  Scripture  to 
have  been  born  a  man?  "  Trypho  rejoins,  "  How  can  we  admit  it,  when 
this  lengthened  discussion  has  turned  upon  the  inquiry  whether  there  is 
another  (God)  besides  the  Father  only?"  Justin  then  quotes  Isa.  liii.  8  : 
"  Who  shall  declare  His  generation  ?  "  to  prove  that  the  Messiah  was  not 
to  be  the  seed  of  the  race  of  man.  "  How  then,"  replies  Trypho,  "  was  it 
said  to  David  that  God  should  take  to  Himself  a  Son  out  of  his  (David's) 
loins,  etc.  ? "  Justin  endeavours  to  explain  this  seeming  contradiction  ; 
and  then  proceeds  to  charge  the  Jewish  teachers,  firstly,  with  saying  that 
those  passages  in  the  Septuagint  translation  which  were  directly  opposed 


24  Some  Account  of  the 

respect  to  Christ's  first  coming,  been  accomplished  in  John  the 
Baptist ;  and  that  before  Christ's  second  Advent,  Ehas  would 

to  their  own  opinions,  were  not  extant  in  the  original ;  secondly,  with 
affirming  that  those  predictions  which  could  in  any  way  be  accommodated 
to  events  in  the  time  of  Solomon,  Hezekiah,  etc.,  were  intended  to  refer  to 
those  monarchs,  and  not  to  the  Messiah  ;  and  thirdly,  when  they  were 
compelled  to  confess  that  there  were  passages  in  Scripture  which  clearly 
spoke  of  the  Messiah  as  suffering,  and  as  an  object  of  worship,  and  as  God, 
with  taking  refuge  in  the  cavil  that  this  (Jesus)  was  not  the  Messiah  ; 
though  they  admitted  that  the  Messiah  was  to  come,  and  to  suffer,  and  to 
reign,  and  to  be  worshipped  as  God.  "  And  we  bring  those  scriptures 
before  them  which  prove  clearly  that  Christ  was  both  liable  to  suffering, 
and  was  to  be  worshipped,  and  was  God,  which  also  we  set  before  you, 
which  things  they  necessarily  agree  to  be  said  of  Christ,  but  they  dare 
to  say  that  this  is  not  Christ.  But  they  confess  that  He  is  to  come, 
and  to  suffer,    and   to   reign,    and   to  be  worshipped  as  God,  which  is 

ridiculous  and  foolish,  as  I  will  show."  a;  S'  av  Xiyufitv  avToT;  ypttipx.;  a.' 
Oiappnorif  Tot  X^/ff'Tov  xa)  'jra^tiTOv  xa)  WfoffKi/tviTi.v  nai  ©toy  a'TrodiiKvvouffit,  a;  Keti 
"rpmtviffTopritra  vfj,7v,  Tavrxs  its  Xpiffroii  fiitv  Ufnir(a.i  ayayxa^o/xivoi  trvurl^ivTai, 
TOVTov  08  fch  iivai  Tcv  'XpiO'Toy  Tt)>./u.ci/tri  Ktyiiv.  iXivcntrfai  oi  K(ci  'ruHlv,  xtti 
p>tt,(nXiv<nii,i,  Ko-i  ■rpoirxvytiTrit  yivitr^xi  8s«v  IfjioXeiycuffiy,  oVip  yiXnlov  xki  avorirov,  o 
Bfioluf  ofToltilu  (p.  294  C,  the  passage  translated  by  Dr.  Burton).  This 
passage,  therefore,  taken  in  connexion  with  the  context,  far  from  proving 
the  belief  of  the  Jews  in  Justin's  time  to  have  been  f/ia(  the  Messiah,  who 
was  to  come,  was  God,  proves,  on  the  contrary,  that  Trypho  and  his  com- 
panions entered  upon  the  inquiry,  not  only  not  entertaining  such  a  belief, 
but  most  unwilling  to  entertain  it  ;  and  that  it  was  only  by  compulsion,  as 
as  it  were,  avayxa^^o^jv^i — because  they  could  not  elude  the  force  of  the 
express  declarations  of  Scripture — that  they  admitted  the  prophetic  descrip- 
tions of  the  Messiah  to  imply  that  He  was  God.  In  confirmation  of  this 
interpretation,  I  would  refer  the  reader  to  the  admission  made  by  Trypho, 
p.  302  C,  which  AUix  has  noticed. 

If  any  reliance  can  be  placed  on  Justin's  authority,  the  Jews  of  his  day, 
as  AUix  expresses  himself,  did  not  believe  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  any 
other  than  a  mere  man,  who  was  to  be  selected  from  the  rest  of  His 
countrymen  on  account  of  His  strict  observance  of  the  Mosaic  law,  pp. 
291  B,  E,  267  D.  They  suspected  that  the  time  fixed  for  His  coming 
by  the  prophets  had  passed,  but  affirmed  that  He  was  living  in  a  state 
of  obscurity,  and  would  remain  ignorant  of  His  high  character  and  destina- 
tion, until  He  should  be  anointed  and  made  manifest  by  Elias,  pp.  226  B, 
336  D. 


Writing's  of  Justin  Marty  7',  25 

himself  appear.  Justin  further  contends  that  the  Messiah 
must  have  already  come,^  because,  after  John  the  Baptist,  no 
prophet  had  arisen  among  the  Jews ;  and  they  had  lost  their 
national  independence  agreeably  to  the  prediction  of  Jacob.^ 
Trypho  now  calls  upon  Justin  to  show  that  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment mention  is  ever  made  of  another  God,  strictly  so  called, 
besides  the  Creator  of  the  universe.^  Justin  answers  that, 
whenever  in  Scripture  God  is  said  to  appear  to  man,  we  must 
understand  the  appearance  to  be  of  the  Son,  not  of  the  Father  ; 
as  when  God  appeared  to  Abraham  at  the  oak  of  Mamre,*  to 
Lot,*  to  Jacob,*'  to  Moses  out  of  the  burning  bush,^  and  to 


^  P.  270  E.  In  p.  314  A,  Justin  says  that  the  spiritual  gifts,  formerly 
conferred  singly  upon  the  Jewish  kings  and  prophets,  were  all  united  in 
Christ,  agreeably  to  Isa.  xi.,  on  which  Trypho  had  founded  an  argument 
against  Christ's  divinity. 

^  P.  271  E.  Gen.  xlix.  lO.  According  to  Justin,  Gen.  xlix.  II  and 
Zech.  ix.  9  were  prophetic  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  pp.  272  C,  D, 
273  A.  But  Gen.  xlix.  11  contained  other  predictions.  The  words, 
"he  washed  his  garments  in  wine,  and  his  clothes  in  the  blood  of  the 
grape,"  were  prophetic  of  the  washing  of  the  sins  of  mankind  by  Christ's 
blood,  inasmuch  as  true  believers  are  His  garments.  Since,  also,  the 
blood  of  the  grape  is  the  gift  of  God,  not  the  produce  of  human 
labour,  this  verse  predicted  that  Christ  was  to  have  blood,  but  not 
blood  derived  from  a  human  source,  pp.  273  E,  2S6  D,  30X  C.  See 
Apol.  i.  p.  74  B  (p.  41). 

'  P.  274  B.  Trypho  admits  that  the  word  God  is  often  used  in  a  lower 
signification,  as  when  God  is  called  the  "God  of  gods."  See  also  pp. 
269  B,  293  C. 

■*  P.  275  A.  Gen.  xviii.  340  D,  356  A.  According  to  Trypho,  the 
Jews  understood  that  God  the  Father  appeared  in  the  first  instance,  and 
then  three  angels  in  human  form,  two  of  whom  were  sent  to  destroy 
Sodom,  the  third  to  announce  to  Sarah  that  she  would  have  a  son.  See 
p.  342  A. 

^  Pp.  236  D,  277  A.     Gen.  xix, 

«  P.  280  D.     Gen.  xxviii.,  xxxii.,  xxxv.     Pp.  313  A,  354  D,  355  E. 

7  Pp.  282  C,  340  D,  357  E,  Ex.  iii.  2.  Trypho  says  that  an  angel 
appeared  to  Moses,  though  God  the  Father  conversed  with  him.  See 
Apol.  i.  pp.  95  B  (72),  96  C  (79). 


26  Some  Account  of  the 

Joshua.^  Justin  also  appeals  to  Ps.  ex.  and  xlv.  to  show  that 
David  speaks  of  another  Lord  and  God  besides  the  Creator 
of  the  universe  ;  and  quotes  Prov.  viii.  and  Gen.  i.  26,  iii.  22, 
to  prove  the  pre-existence  of  Christ.^ 

After  these  digressions  Justin  resumes  his  proof  that  the 
Messiah  was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin,  and  quotes  Isa.  liii.  8, 
Ps.  xlv.  7.^  Trypho,  however,  interrupts  him,  and  says  that 
although  Jesus  might  be  recognised  as  the  Lord,  and  Messiah, 
and  God  by  the  Gentiles,  the  Jews,  who  were  the  worshippers 
of  God,  Who  made  Him  as  well  as  them,  were  not  bound  to 
recognise  or  worship  Him.*  Justin,  in  answer,  quotes  Ps.  xcix. 
and  Ixxii.  to  show  that,  even  among  the  Jews,  they  who 
obtained  salvation  obtained  it  only  through  Christ.  But  what, 
rejoins  Trypho,  are  we  to  say  to  the  words  which  the  prophet 
Isaiah  speaks  in  the  name  of  God  Himself,  "  I  am  the  Lord 
God  ;  that  is  My  name :  I  will  not  give  My  glory  to  another  "  ?  ^ 
Justin  replies,  that  Scripture  cannot  contradict  itself.  If  we 
are  unable  to  reconcile,  entirely  to  our  satisfaction,  those 
passages  in  which  God  declares  His  absolute  unity  with  those 
in  which  He  speaks  of  Christ  as  God,  we  ought  to  rest  assured 
that  they  are  reconcileable,  though  our  imperfect  faculties  may 
be  unequal  to  the  task.  In  this  case,  however,  the  context 
plainly  shows  that  God  meant  to  say  that  He  would  give  His 
glory  only  to  Him  Who  was  to  be  the  Light  of  the  Gentiles, — 
that  is,  to  Christ. 

Justin  now  returns  once  more  to  Isa.  vii.,^  and  to  the  proof 
that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin,  but  is  interrupted 
by  Trypho,  who  tells  him  that  he  ought  to  be  ashamed  of 

1  P.  286  A. 

^  P.  285  A.     In  Gen.  i.  26  the  Jews  contended  that  God  addressed  the 
words  "  Let  us  make  man,"  etc.,  either  to  Himself  or  to  the  elements. 
»  Pp.  286  C,  301  B.  *  P.  287  C. 

^  Isa.  xlii.  8,  p.  289  B.  «  P.  290  D. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  27 

narrating  stories  respecting  the  birth  of  Christ  which  could 
only  be  compared  to  the  fables  ^  current  among  the  heathen 
respecting  the  birth  of  Perseus  from  Danse,  and  the  descent  of 
Jupiter  under  the  appearance  of  a  shower  of  gold.  It  would 
be  better  at  once  to  say  that  the  Messiah  was  a  mere  man, 
elected  to  the  office  on  account  of  His  exact  compliance  with 
the  Mosaic  law,  than  to  hazard  the  incredible  assertion  that 
God  Himself  submitted  to  be  born  and  to  become  a  man.^ 
Justin,  in  answer,  again  quotes  Isa.  hii.  8,^  in  order  to  prove 
that  the  Messiah  was  not  to  be  born  after  the  ordinary  manner 
of  men  ;  and  asserts  that  when  Isaiah,  vii.  14,  said,  "  A  virgin 
shall  conceive,"  etc.,  he  intended  to  interpret  the  promise  made 
mystically  to  David  in  Ps.  cxxxii.  11,  which  had  been  alleged 
by  Trypho  to  show  that  the  Messiah  was  to  descend,  in  the 
natural  course  of  generation,  from  David.  In  this  part  of  the 
Dialogue,  Justin  observes  that  in  some  instances  the  Jews 
denied  the  genuineness  of  the  passages  which  directly  confuted 
their  opinions;  in  others,  applied  passages,  manifestly  pro- 
phetic of  the  events  of  the  Messiah's  hfe,  to  the  actions  of 
mere  men ;  and  when  they  were  obliged  to  confess  that  a 
passage  did  apply  to  the  Messiah,  they  took  refuge  in  the 
assertion  that  Jesus  was  not  that  Messiah ;  but  that  the 
Messiah  was  still  to  come,  and  to  suffer,  and  to  reign,  and  to 
be  adored  as  God.  Justin  quotes  also  Isa.  xxxv.  to  show  that 
the  Messiah  was  to  effect  miraculous  cures.*     After  charging 

^  Pp.  291  B,  297  B.  Justin  contends  that  this  fable,  and  others  of  a 
similar  nature, — as  the  stories  of  Bacchus,  Hercules,  yEsculapius, — were 
mere  corruptions  of  the  predictions  of  the  Old  Testament  respecting  the 
Messiah,  put  forth  by  the  devil  for  the  purpose  of  deluding  mankind.  He 
makes  the  same  observation  respecting  certain  ceremonies  introduced  into 
the  mysteries  of  Mithras,  pp.  294  E,  296  B,  304  B. 

2  P.  291  C.  »  Pp.  293  D,  301  B. 

*  P.  295  E.  In  p.  308  C,  Justin  contends  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah, 
because  the  predictions  which  He  delivered  respecting  the  rise  of  heresies 
after  His  ascension,  and  the  sufferings  which  His  followers  would  undergo, 
had  been  exactly  fulfilled.     See  pp.  254  A,  27 1  B. 


28  Some  Account  of  the 

the  Jewish  teachers  with  having  expunged  from  the  Septuagint 
version  several  passages  clearly  prophetic  of  the  Messiah/  and 
quoting  portions  of  Scripture,  some  of  which  he  had  before 
alleged,  to  prove  that  the  Messiah  was  not  to  be  born  after  the 
ordinary  manner  of  men,  he  proceeds  to  show  that  Isa.  vii. 
could  not  apply  to  Hezekiah,  but  was  fulfilled  in  Jesus.^ 

Trypho  now  inquires  of  Justin  whether  he  really  believed 
that  Jerusalem  would  be  rebuilt,  and  all  the  Gentiles,  as  well 
as  the  Jews  and  proselytes,  collected  there  under  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Messiah ;  or  whether  he  merely  professed  such  a 
belief,  in  order  to  conciliate  the  Jews.^  Justin,  in  answer, 
admits  that  this  belief  was  not  universal  among  the  orthodox 
Christians;  but  that  he  himself  maintained  that  the  dead 
would  rise  again  in  the  body  and  live  for  a  thousand  years 
in  Jerusalem,  which  would  be  rebuilt,  and  beautified,  and 
enlarged :  he  appeals  in  support  of  his  opinion  to  Isaiah,  and 
to  the  Apocalypse,  which  he  ascribes  to  John,  one  of  Christ's 
apostles. 

Justin  having  produced  several  passages  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment *  in  which  he  finds  allusions,  sufficiently  fanciful,  to  the 
particular  mode  of  the  Messiah's  death,  and  to  the  Cross, 
Trypho  rejoins,  "The  whole  Jewish  nation  expects  the  Messiah. 
I  also  admit  that  the  passages  of  Scripture  which  you  have 
quoted  apply  to  Him ;  and  the  name  of  Jesus  or  Joshua,  given 
to  the  son  of  Nun,  inclines  me  somewhat  to  the  opinion  that 
your  Jesus  is  the  Messiah.     The  Scriptures,  moreover,  mani- 

1  P.  297  E.  2  p_  202  C. 

'  P.  306  B.  See  also  pp.  312  C,  368  A,  369  A.  In  p.  346  B,  Justin 
says  that  the  sacrifices  which  will  then  be  offered  to  God  will  be  the 
spiritual  sacrifices  of  prayer  and  praise. 

*  Pp.  312  E,  316  E,  259  C,  338  B.  The  Jews  seem  to  have  been  at  a 
loss  to  understand  why  Moses,  who  forbade  them  to  make  any  likeness  of 
any  creature,  set  up  the  brazen  serpent,  pp.  322  B,  339  A.  Compare 
Apol.  i.  p.  90  B  (68). 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  29 

festly  predict  a  suffering  Messiah ;  but  that  He  should  suffer 
death  upon  the  Cross,  the  death  of  those  who  are  pronounced 
accursed  by  the  law,  fills  me  with  perplexity."  Justin  answers, 
that  the  curse  applied  only  to  those  who  were  crucified  on 
account  of  their  transgressions;  whereas  Christ  was  sinless, 
and  submitted  to  this  ignominious  death,  in  obedience  to  the 
will  of  His  Father,  in  order  that  He  might  rescue  the  human 
race  from  the  penalty  due  to  their  sins.^  After  quoting  Ps. 
iii.  5,  Isa.  Ixv.  2  and  liii.  9,  as  prophetic  of  the  Messiah's 
crucifixion  and  resurrection,  Justin  shows  at  considerable 
length  that  Ps.  xxii.  is  descriptive  of  the  perfect  humanity, — of 
the  sufferings,  death,  and  resurrection  of  the  Messiah.^ 

Justin  comes  at  last  to  speak  of  the  conversion  of  the 
Gentiles;^  and  contends  that  the  Christians  are  the  true 
people  of  God,  inasmuch  as  they  fulfil  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
the  law,  and  do  not  merely  conform,  like  the  Jews,  to  the 
letter.  They  have  the  true  circumcision  of  the  heart ;  *  they 
are  the  true  race  of  priests  dedicated  to  God,*  and  typified  by 
Jesus  the  High  Priest  in  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah;^  they 
offer  the  true  spiritual  sacrifices  which  are  pleasing  to  God, 
agreeably  to  the  prophecy  of  Malachi ;  ^  they  are  the  seed  pro- 

^  Compare  p.  338  B. 

*  P.  324  C.  The  Jews  denied  that  this  Psalm  was  prophetic  of  the 
Messiah.  The  mode  in  which  Justin  explains  an  expression  in  the  Psalm, 
from  which  it  might  be  inferred  that  Christ  was  ignorant  of  His  own  fate, 
is  worthy  of  attention,  p.  326  B. 

*  P.  335  E.  The  Jews  appear  to  have  applied  some  of  the  passages 
which  predict  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  proselytes,  as  Isa. 
xlix.  6,  p.  350  C. 

*  P.  342  A. 

^  "We  are  the  true  priestly  race  of  God"  {ap^t^^isfariieoii  to  uXr,h\i>v  yites 
Ufcu  Tou  Qiou),  p.  344  C.  "  We  are  the  true  spiritual  Israelites  "  {'l(rfiati>.iTi- 
xo\i  yap  TO  uXyiSivov  wivf^arix-eK  ».  r.  I.),  p.  228  E.  "We  are  a  holy 
people  "  (Xao;  ilyios  ifff^iv),  pp.  347  B,  365  D,  353  B,  and  366  A. 

"  iii.  I,  pp.  342  C  and  344  C. 

'  i.  10.     The  meaning  affixed  to  this  prediction  by  the  Jews  was  that 


30  Some  Account  of  the 

mised  to  Abraham,^  because  they  are  actuated  by  the  same 
principle  of  faith  which  actuated  Abraham, — they  are,  in  a 
word,  the  true  Israel.^ 

Justin  concludes  with  enumerating  the  benefits  conferred 
upon  the  Jews  by  God,  and  reproaching  them  with  their  ingrati- 
tude.^ They  had  at  last  filled  up  the  measure  of  their 
iniquities  by  crucifying  His  only-begotten  Son ;  and  they  still 
persecuted  His  disciples,  although  it  was  evident  that  the 
capture  of  Jerusalem,^  and  the  destruction  of  their  temple  by 
the  Romans,  was  a  punishment  inflicted  on  them  for  their 
rejection  of  Jesus,  and  for  that  only,  since  they  were  no  longer 
addicted  to  the  idolatrous  practices  which  had  drawn  down  the 
vengeance  of  the  Almighty  on  their  forefathers.  Their  only 
hope,  therefore,  of  safety  lay  in  repenting  of  their  transgressions, 
renouncing  the  errors  of  their  teachers,  and  cordially  embracing 
Christianity. 

Although  I  am  far  from  wishing  to  deny  that  there  are  in 
this  Treatise  many  weak  and  inconclusive  arguments,  many 
trifling  applications  and  erroneous  interpretations  of  Scripture, 
many  attempts  to  extract  meanings  which  never  entered  into 
the  mind  of  the  Sacred  writer,  yet  I  cannot  think  it  deserving 
of  the  contempt  with  which  some  later  critics  have  spoken  of 
it.  It  proves  at  least  that  the  state  of  the  controversy  was  not 
essentially  different  in  the  days  of  Justin  from  its  present  state; 
that  after  the  lapse  of  seventeen  hundred  years  the  difficulties 
to  be  encountered  in  disputing  with  the  Jews,  the  objections 

God  rejected  the  sacrifices  offered  by  those  who  then  inhabited  Jerusalem, 
but  accepted,  as  sacrifices,  the  prayers  of  the  Jews  who  were  dispersed  by 
the  Captivity,  p.  344  E. 

'  P.  347  C.  «  Pp.  349  E,  352  E,  355  B,  359  D. 

3  P.  360  D  ad  fin. 

*  The  application  of  the  prophecy  of  Noah  to  the  Jews  and  Romans 
deserves  attention,  p.  368  B. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  31 

to  be  answered,  the  prejudices  to  be  overcome,  are  nearly  the 
same.  It  suppHes  us  also  incidentally  with  some  curious  facts, 
illustrative  of  the  spirit  by  which  the  Jews  and  Christians  were 
mutually  actuated  towards  each  other.  With  respect  to  the 
sentiments  entertained  by  the  Christians  towards  the  Jews,  we 
find  Trypho,  p.  263  C,  inquiring  whether  they  who  lived 
according  to  the  Mosaic  law  would  be  saved.  Justin  answers, 
that  as  the  Mosaic  law  comprehended  the  unchangeable  and 
fundamental  principles  of  morality,  they  who  had  lived  up  to 
it  before  the  coming  of  Christ  would  be  saved  through  Him; 
and  after  His  coming  they  also  would  be  saved  who  observed 
the  whole  law,  both  moral  and  ceremonial,  provided  that 
they  believed  the  crucified  Jesus  to  be  the  Christ  of  God,  and 
did  not  attempt  to  force  the  observance  of  the  ritual  law  upon 
others.  He  admits,  however,  that  many  thought  otherwise, 
and  contended  that  the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  rites  was 
incompatible  with  the  profession  of  Christianity.  Thus  the 
Gentile  converts  in  Justin's  age,  and  the  Jewish  in  the  apostolic 
times,  appear  to  have  been  equally  ready  to  act  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  exclusion.  On  the  other  hand,^  we  learn  that  the 
Rabbis  forbade  their  hearers  to  hold  any  intercourse  with  the 
Christians; 2  that  they  pronounced  curses  against  them  in 
the  synagogues ;  ^  and  that  they  sent  persons  into  every  part  of 
the  civiHsed  world  with  directions  to  denounce  Christianity  as 
a  pestilent  heresy,  and  to  misrepresent  the  conduct  and  morals 
of  its  professors.4  Justin  speaks  of  the  proselytes  as  animated 
by  a  more  bitter  spirit  of  hostility  than  the  Jews  themselves. ^ 

^  See  Wilson's  Illustration,  etc.,  c.  xi.  ^  Pp.  256  C,  339  D. 

'  Pp.  234  B,  266  E,  321  D,  323  D,  345  A,  363  D,  366  E.  From  the 
last  passage  it  appears  that  the  curse  was  pronounced  after  the  conclusion 
of  the  prayers.  See  Jerome  in  Esaiam  v.  18,  xlix.  7,  lii.  4,  and  in  Amos 
i.  II,  where  he  says  that  the  Jews  cursed  the  Christians  under  the  name  of 
Nazarenes.     See  Apol.  i.  p.  77  A  (45). 

*  Pp.  234  E,  335  C,  where  the  charges  against  the  Christians  are  men- 
tioned more  in  detail. 

'P.  350  E- 


2  2  Some  Account  of  the 

He  ridicules  the  trivial  questions  on  which  the  Jews  wasted 
their  time  and  labour,^  and  censures  their  cavilling  temper.^ 
He  charges  them  with  denying  Christ  through  fear  of  perse- 
cution,^ with  entertaining  low  and  unworthy  notions  of  God,* 
and  with  corrupting  the  Septuagint  version.^  With  respect, 
however,  to  the  last  charge,  the  Christians  appear  to  have  been 
more  justly  liable  to  it  than  the  Jews.^  Justin  further  affirms 
that  the  Jews  were  allowed  by  their  Rabbis  to  have  a  plurality 

'  Pp.  339  D,  340  B.  ^  p.  343  c.  3  pp.  258  C,  262  E. 

*  P.  341  E,  Justin  accuses  them  of  anthropomorphism.     See  p.  364  A. 
"  Pp.  297  C,  349  A.     See  also  p.  343  D.     Justin's  specific  charges  against 
the  Jews  were — 

I.  That  they  had  suppressed  a  passage  in  Ezra,  in  which  the  Passover 
was  represented  as  a  type  of  the  Redeemer ;  but  this  passage  is  not  now 
extant  in  any  either  of  the  Greek  or  Hebrew  copies.  Lactantius  quotes  it. 
histitut.  iv.  18. 

II.  That  they  had  suppressed  a  passage  in  Jeremiah,  which,  however, 
is  now  extant  in  every  copy,  both  Greek  and  Hebrew,  xi.  19.  Justin 
admits  that  in  his  day  it  was  found  in  some  of  the  copies  used  in  tlie 
synagogues. 

III.  That  they  had  suppressed  another  passage  in  Jeremiah,  which  is 
not  now  found  in  any  copy,  either  Greek  or  Hebrew.  This  passage  is 
cited  more  than  once  by  Irenseus,  who  in  one  instance  ascribes  it  to 
Isaiah.     L.  iii.  c.  23 ;  1.  iv.  c.  39,  56,  66 ;  1.  v.  c.  31. 

IV.  That  they  have  suppressed  the  words  a^o  tov  \u\6u  ("from  the 
cross")  in  the  96th  Psalm,  ver.  10.  In  the  Epistle  of  Barnabas,  chap,  viii., 
we  find  the  following  passage:  "that  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  from  the 
cross  "  (or/  'fi  fiaffiXiia  rov  'irnrou  icri  tm  ^vXu),  from  which  we  may  infer  that 
the  author  had  a-ro  toZ  \v\ou  in  his  copy  ;  but  there  is  nothing  correspond- 
ing to  the  passage  in  the  old  Latin  version.  The  reading  was  known  to 
TertuUian  and  many  of  the  Fathers  ;  and  Le  Nourry  says  that  it  is  found 
in  some  manuscript  psalters  of  great  antiquity.  See  Apol.  i.  p.  80  B  (50), 
and  Dr.  Bernard's  Note  on  CoteleHi  Patr.  Apoztol. 

Justin  further  charges  the  Jews  with  having  erased  a  passage  containing 
an  account  of  the  mode  of  Isaiah's  death,  p.  349  B. 

'  Some  writers  have  thought  that  Justin  himself  was  the  guilty  party. 
See  Thirlby's  note  on  p.  297  B,  and  Pearson  On  the  Creed,  Article  v. 
p.  242,  5th  ed.  The  Jews  asserted  that  the  version  of  the  Septuagint  was 
in  some  places  incorect.     P.  294  B. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  33 

of  wives,  and  that  the  polygamy  of  the  patriarchs  was  alleged 
in  defence  of  the  practice.^ 

There  is  in  p.  307  A  an  enumeration  of  Jewish  sects,  in 
which  the  names  of  the  Genistae,  Meristae,  and  Helleniani 
occur;  of  the  former  two,  Isidorus,  Origin,  viii.  4,  p.  63, 
has  given  some,  though  not  a  satisfactory  account;  of  the 
Helleniani,  no  trace,  I  believe,  is  to  be  found  in  any  other 
writer. 

Without   meaning   to   lay   any   particular  stress   upon   the 

authority  of  Justin  in  such  matters,   I   will  observe  that  he 

appears   not   to  have  recognised  any  other  than  circumcised 
proselytes.^ 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE   OPINIONS    OF   JUSTIN    RESPECTING  THE    AOrOJ 
AND    THE   TRINITY. 

Having  given  the  above  short  account  of  the  genuine  works 
of  Justin  which  have  descended  to  our  times,  we  will  proceed 

^  P.  363  E.  According  to  Justin,  a  great  mystery  was  concealed  under 
the  polygamy  of  the  patriarchs:  "And  David's  one  act  of  transgression 
with  the  wife  of  Uriah  shows,  O  men,  I  say,  that  the  patriarchs  had  many 
wives  without  committing  fornications,  but  they  had  a  certain  arrangement 
and  practised  many  mysteries."     xai  «  id.\a  Hi  aurn  rm  Tapa-rriiKnus  roZ 

•mpHvovris  ToWas  icr^nv  yvva,7x.a.(  ei  ^U'rpiapx.'^'y  aXX    olxavofiia   tis,  >icti  livirtn- 

fi'-i  s-avTos  2/  avTU)!  otTiriXuTo.     P.  37^  ■^'     See  p.  3^4  B. 
■'  p.  351  D. 

c 


34  Some  Account  of  the 

to  the  examination  of  his  opinions ;  and  will  in  the  first  place 
consider  what  he  has  delivered  respecting  the  Aoyos,  and  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  That  he  asserted  the  divinity  of  the 
Aoyos,  and  a  real  Trinity,  is  admitted  even  by  those  who  are 
most  anxious  to  prove  that  the  early  Christians  were  Unitarians ; 
but  they  endeavour  to  invalidate  his  testimony  by  contending 
that  he  was  the  first  who  openly  maintained  these  doctrines, 
which  were  suggested  to  him  by  the  writings  of  Plato — in 
other  words,  that  he  was  the  first  who  corrupted  the  Gospel, 
by  endeavouring  to  engraft  the  notions  of  Gentile  philosophy 
upon  its  sublime  but  simple  truths.  That  Justin  had  studied 
and  admired  the  Platonic  philosophy  we  know  from  himself, 
but  that  he  was  indebted  to  it  for  the  doctrines  of  the  divinity 
of  the  Aoyos,  and  of  the  Trinity,  is  a  position  to  which  we 
cannot  yield  our  assent ;  because,  in  the  first  place,  no 
sufficient  proof  has  yet  been  produced  that  even  the  germ 
of  those  doctrines  exists  in  the  writings  of  Plato  ;  and  because, 
in  the  next  place,  his  own  references  to  those  writings  are 
wholly  at  variance  with  the  position. 

The  design  of  his  two  Apologies  is  to  give  an  accurate 
description  of  the  faith  of  the  Christians,  and  to  remove  the 
prejudices  which  existed  against  them  in  the  minds  of  the 
heathen.  One  of  these  prejudices  was  that  they  worshipped 
a  crucified  man.^  Not  so,  he  replies ;  the  object  of  our  wor- 
ship is  the  Divine  Ao'yos,  who  was  content  to  become  incarnate, 
and  to  die  on  the  Cross  for  the  sake  of  mankind.     Now  as 

1  "  For  here  they  look  upon  it  as  downright  madness  to  assign  to  a 
crucified  man  the  next  place  to  the  immutable,  eternal  God,  parent  of  all 
things,  being  entirely  in  the  dark  as  to  the  mystery  of  this  order ;  and 
therefore  I  advise  you  to  give  diligent  attention  while  I  expound  it  to 
you."  i)irau6a  yap  uavixf  rifiojv  xaTccfaitfCvrai,  oivTifocv  ^lupav,  /uira  tov 
KTH^TOV  xai  ail  OiTK  Qlov  xce)  yivr/iTopa  Ta/v  k<xa\Tuv,  avSpu'Tiu  iTravpuhtTi 
liSoyai  hf^a-i  Xiynri;,  aytdoZtTis  to  it  tovtu  fturryipiov  u,  <7tpci(Ti'/^iii  vfui;, 
ilryou/iiyu*  ri/iuv,  -zrporpfxi/^-Jx.  P.  6i  A  (i8).  Compare  p.  68  A  (31), 
90  B  (68). 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  35 

Justin's  wish  was  to  render  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  as 
acceptable  as  possible  to  the  Gentiles,  by  pointing  out  features 
of  resemblance  between  them  and  the  tenets  of  the  philo- 
sophers,^ it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  would  not  fail  to 
allege  those  passages  of  Plato's  writings  which  he  conceived  to 
afford  the  strongest  confirmation  of  his  opinions  respecting  the 
Aoyos  and  the  Trinity.  What,  then,  are  the  passages  which  he 
produces?  One  from  the  Timceus,^  to  prove  that  when  Plato, 
speaking  of  the  Person  who  is  second  to  the  Supreme  God, 
said,  "  He  expressed  Him  in  the  universe  in  the  figure  of  the 
letter  X,"  he  alluded  to  the  brazen  serpent  set  up  by  Moses  in 
the  wilderness,  but  did  not  understand  that  the  serpent  was 
typical  of  the  Cross  of  Christ.     Another  passage  ^  quoted  by 

'  "Not  that  the  doctrines  of  Plato  are  alien  to  those  of  Christ,  but  that 
they  are  not  wholly  the  same,  as  is  also  the  case  with  those  of  others,  as 
the  Stoics,  poets,  and  historians.  olx,  ori  uKxirpid  Iffri  rk  XlXarut^i 
'Siiayf/.a-ra  rod  "Xpicrrov,  aXX'  on  olx,  'iiXTi  •ravT*!  ofiaia,  ucfrtf  eijhi  to,  rav 
aXXaiv,     yfTuixZv    ri,     xai    ^to/jjt&'v,     xa)    ffvyypccipiuy.       P.     ^l    B.       Compare 

66  C  (28). 

^  The  passage  in  Justin  runs  thus :    ku)  ri  b  t*  wapa,  nxdravi  Tiftalu 

{pviri)>Xoyoifjt,iti»)    'TTifi    rau    viou    roZ   Otsv,   e<ri   Xiyii,    i^iairiv   avroy  i>   ria   -rafri, 

•xapa.  Maffiui  Xx^iiv  ofio'iui  ii'Tiv.  P.  92  E  (72).  But  Plato  in  the  place 
alluded  to  is  speaking  of  the  creation  of  the  soul  of  the  universe. 
TfliuT»y  ouv  rhv  ^ifrafftv  vaaai.y  oi'xXn''  kktoc  f/.)JKo;  tr^ifa;,  fiirnv  -Tpos  f-ian* 
ixKripav   aXXriXai;,   cTiv  ^,    TpixrfiaXuv,    KC(.Tixa/4\]/iv  lis   xvxXov.      P.  36,   tom. 

iii.  ed.  Serr. 

*  "  And  finding  by  Moses  that  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of 
the  waters,  he  likewise  mentions  a  third,  for  he  gives  the  second  place  to  the 
Logos  of  God  decussated  upon  the  world,  and  the  third  place  he  assigns  to 
the  Spirit  which  is  said  to  move  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  thus  expressing 
himself;  ' The  Third  about  the  Third.'"  »«)  to  ii-TnTv  avroii  rpirov,  i^ii^h, 
us  vpoiiTO/Jiit,  ivavui  Tuv  voaTtav  aviyvoa  vvo  M^ur'iuis  iipy.fi'iyav  i'mip'ipsffffoci  to  tov 
diov  'X'vivfi.ce.  'hiur'tpa.v  fuv  yap  ^aipot.i  ttf  •prapu.  Slav  Xoyeu,  ov  x£;^i«o'^a<  Iv  tu 
•X'avr)  ifv,  oiouffr    t/iV  oi  Tpirnv  tu  Xi^6'n<rt  I'jrip'ips/r^oci  tu  uoan  •jrtiv/^a.Ti,  £<V<k>y, 

ra  Ti  Tpiroc  -xipi  Tov  rplro)/.  P.  93  B  (72).  The  passage  in  Plato  runs  thus  : 
"All  things  about  the  King  of  all  and  on  account  of  Him,  this  is  the 
cause  of  all  good  ;  the  Second  about  the  Second,  and  the  Third  about 

Vhe    Third.  '      Vip)    t(v    •^tUvruv  &'x.ffiXia.  tkvt'  Itrri,  xai    ixi'iytv  'Ivixv.  -naiircf  xeti 


36  Some  Account  of  the 

Justin  is  from  the  Second  Epistle,  where  he  endeavours  to 
discover  an  allusion  to  the  Trinity  in  the  words,  "The  Third 
about  the  Third,"  in  which  he  supposes  Plato  to  have  referred 
to  the  description  of  the  Spirit '  moving  on  the  face  of  the 
waters,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis.  It  is  utterly  impossible 
that  passages  like  these  should  have  been  the  sources  from 
which  Justin  originally  drew  his  notions  respecting  the  Ao'yos 
and  the  Trinity. 

If  we  turn  to  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  we  learn  that  the 
Jews  as  well  as  the  Gentiles  objected  against  the  Christians 
the  divine  honours  paid  by  them  to  a  crucified  man.  How 
does  Justin  answer  the  objection?  By  alleging  passages  from 
the  Old  Testament,  from  which  he  proves  that  Christ,  Who 
preached  and  was  crucified  under  the  Emperor  Tiberius,  was 
the  Aoyos,  made  flesh,  Who  had  before  conversed  with  the 
patriarchs ;  and  Whom,  together  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
Father  addressed  when  He  created  man.  Are  we,  therefore, 
to  conclude  that  he  was  indebted  solely  to  those  passages  for 
his  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Ao'yos  and 
the  Trinity?  Yet  this  surely  is  as  reasonable  a  conclusion  as 
to  infer,  from  the  passages  before  cited,  that  he  borrowed  them 
from  Plato.     In  both  instances  he  used  arguments  which  he 

IxiTvo  eumv  ScTavruv  ruv  xaXuv.  divrtpov  01  'irifi,  to.  tivrifCf  KoCi  TpiTot  vtpi, 
ra.  Tfira.  P.  3 1 2,  tom.  iii.  Compare  Dial.  p.  220  C.  "  And  to  consider 
this  greatest  and  most  noteworthy  work,  the  remaining  Second  and 
Third."  *«<  r'.VTo  /^'iyitrrov  xa'i  Tifii/uTaT/iif  'ipyov  r.yuixSa.t,  rcc  Ti  Xoixa.  ^iuripa 
KKi  Tfira,  If  the  Hortatory  Address  to  the  Greeks  was  the  composition  of 
Justin,  the  argument  acquires  still  greater  force  ;  for  though  the  author  of 
that  work  mentions  many  of  Plato's  opinions  respecting  the  nature  of  God, 
the  creation  of  the  world,  etc.,  which  he  supposes  to  have  been  borrowed 
from  the  writers  of  the  Old  Testament,  yet  he  is  wholly  silent  concerning 
the  Aoyo;.  Indeed,  Justin's  repeated  assertion  that  Plato  was  indebted  to 
the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  prophets  for  whatever  riyht  notions  he 
possessed  on  the  subject  of  religion,  is  incompatible  with  the  supposition 
that  he  would  himself  borrow  doctrines  from  Plato, 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  37 

deemed  most  likely  to  have  weight  with  the  persons  whom 
he  was  addressing.  He  was  anxious  to  persuade  both  the 
Gentiles  and  the  Jews  that  the  writings  which  they  respec- 
tively esteemed  of  the  highest  authority  contained  intimations, 
however  obscure,  of  those  sublime  doctrines ;  but  the  sources 
from  which  he  himself  derived  the  knowledge  of  them  were 
the  rule  of  faith  handed  down  in  the  Church,  and  the  writings 
of  the  New  Testament.  I  mean  not  to  affirm  that  the  notions 
which  he  imbibed  in  the  schools  of  heathen  philosophy  have 
not  aftected  his  language  in  speaking  of  the  doctrines :  I  say 
only  that  he  did  not  derive  the  doctrines  themselves  from  that 
source. 

Another  circumstance  well  deserving  consideration  is  the 
manner  in  which  Justin  mentions  these  doctrines.  He 
uniformly  speaks  of  them  as  held  not  by  himself  alone,  or 
the  more  enlightened  few,  but  by  all  the  members  of  the 
Christian  community.  Had  he  been  conscious  that  he  was 
broaching  opinions  either  utterly  unknown  or  not  generally 
received  in  the  Church,  he  would  surely  have  deemed  it 
necessary  to  allude  to  the  fact ;  and  to  anticipate  the  charge, 
to  which  he  obviously  exposed  himself,  of  misrepresenting  the 
tenets  of  the  Christians.  He  has  indeed  been  accused  of 
betraying  this  consciousness  in  a  passage  in  the  Dialogue  with 
Trypho}  where  he  admits,  if  we  may  believe  the  Unitarian 

'  Justin  had  been  contending  that,  even  if  it  could  not  be  proved  that 
Christ  was  God,  the  Son  of  the  Ruler  of  the  universe,  and  born  of  a 
virgin,  yet  it  did  not  therefore  follow  that  the  Jews  were  justified  in 
rejecting  Ilim ;  since,  though  a  man  born  of  men,  He  might  have  been 
elected  to  be  the  Messiah.     He  then  goes  on  :  na)  yap  I'w'i  rivz;,  u  ipikoi, 

'iXiyov,  ocra  rav  ri/z-iripou  y'ivoui  of/.oXiyovvTi;  aVToi  'Kpiffroy  I'lvxi,  ayepuVov  oi  I5 
u.v^piti'jriitv  yi>o//,ivov  a'^rctpaivofcitior  01;  oil  iruvTih^uai.  ovo  av  i-XiTtrroi  Tavra  f/oi 
"oo^affavTii  UTTfiif/,  ivei^h  olx,  av^pw^iiti;  %iSa,yiJ.a<n  xiKiXiiff/jnia  vv  aiirov  -nu 
Xpiirrau  TiiSia^ai,  iXXa  tois  Sici  tc-iv  ftaxapiav   rrpoipviTuiv  xnpu^^uffi,  xai  01'  alrcu 

%ihv.X,h7jt.  P.  267  E.  This  passage  has  exercised  the  ingenuity  of  the 
commentators.     The  Latin  translation  in  Thirlby's  edition  is  as  follows  : 


38  Some  Account  of  the 

writers,  that  the  majority  of  Christians  in  his  day  regarded 
Christ  as  a  mere  man,  born  after  the  manner  of  men.  The 
passage  is  not  without  difficulty  ;  but  the  sense  put  upon  it  by 
the  Unitarians  is  at  variance  with  every  sound  principle  of 
interpretation.  The  fact,  moreover,  that,  among  the  other 
charges  urged  against  the  early  Christians,  they  were  accused 
of  worshipping  a  crucified  man,  is  scarcely  compatible  with  the 
supposition  that  the  doctrine  of  the  mere  humanity  of  Christ 
was  the  prevalent  opinion  among  them.  In  a  word,  the  whole 
tenor  of  Justin's  language  is  irreconcileable  with  the  theory 
that  he  invented,  or  at  least  first  published,  the  doctrines  of 
the  Divinity  of  the  Ao'yo^  and  of  the  Trinity. 


"  Sunt  enim  nonnulli,  o  aniici,  dixi,  ex  genere  nostro  profitentes  ipsum 
Christum  esse,  sad  hominem  ex  hominibus  genitum  esse  afifirmant.  Quibus 
non  assentior ;  neque  id  sane  multi  qui  in  eadem  mecum  sententia  sunt " 
(though  tuZra  is  in  the  text,  the  translator  appears  to  have  read  tccuto) 
"dixerint.  Siquidem  jussi  sumus,"  etc.  Bull,  instead  of  rifuriptu,  would 
read  vftiTifcv,  and  understand  the  expression  iifciripov  yUovt  of  the  Jewish 
Christians.  This  correction  derives  support  from  the  expressions  ia-o  t»u 
yivov;  rou  ufiiTifiov,  am  tov  yUovi  Ifji-Zi^  which  are  frequently  applied  by 
Justin  to  the  Jews.  I  am  inclined,  however,  to  retain  hiJ^iripsu,  and  to 
translate  thus  :  "For  there  are  some,  my  friends,  of  our  race  (Christians, 
as  opposed  to  Jews,  vfiinpov  yivi>$)  who  confess  that  He  was  the  Christ, 
but  affirm  that  He  was  a  man  born  of  human  parents,  with  whom  I  do  not 
agree ;  nor  should  I,  even  if  very  many  of  those  who  think  as  I  do  were 
to  say  so,  since  we  are  commanded  by  Christ  to  attend,  not  to  the  doctrines 
of  men,  but  to  that  which  was  proclaimed  by  the  blessed  prophets  and 
taught  by  Himself;"  where  I  understand  the  words  vXiltrroi  ravrx.  ftm 
^a^airatris  to  mean  those  who  agreed  with  Juslin  in  professing  Christianity. 
But,  whether  this  translation  is  correct  or  not,  the  word  rms,  opposed  as 
it  is  to  •xXuaroi,  is  alone  sufficient  to  prove  that  the  doctrine  of  the  mere 
humanity  of  Christ  was  the  opinion  of  the  minority,  and  that  a  small 
minority,  in  the  time  of  Justin.  Wilson,  Illustration,  etc.,  p.  152,  trans- 
lates the  passage  nearly  as  I  do  :  "  There  are  some  of  our  race  who 
acknowledge  Him  to  be  Christ,  yet  maintain  that  He  was  a  man  born 
of  human  parents  ;  with  whom  I  do  not  agree,  nor  should  I,  if  very  many, 
who  entertain  the  same  opinions  with  myself,  were  to  declare "  for  this 
docuine. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  39 

Some  writers,  in  order  to  remove  from  the  early  Fathers  the 
charge  of  borrowing  their  doctrine  respecting  the  Adyo?  from 
Plato,  point  out  the  Apocryphal  Books  of  the  Old  Testament, 
the  works  of  Philo,  and  the  traditional  interpretations  of 
Scripture  current  among  the  Jews  of  our  Saviour's  time,  and 
preserved  in  the  Chaldee  Paraphrases,  as  the  sources  from 
which  the  language  of  the  early  Fathers  respecting  it  was 
derived ;  but  they  are  not,  as  it  appears  to  me,  borne  out  in 
their  opinion  by  the  works  of  Justin  Martyr.  A  large  portion 
of  his  Dialogue  with  Trypho  is  occupied  in  proving  that,  when- 
ever God  is  said  in  the  Old  Testament  to  have  appeared  to 
the  patriarchs,  it  was,  in  fact,  the  Aoyos  Who  appeared.  How 
greatly  would  he  have  added  to  the  force  of  his  arguments,  if 
he  had  shown  that  this  interpretation  of  the  passages  in 
Scripture  to  which  he  appealed  was  in  strict  conformity  with 
the  tradition  of  the  Jewish  Church !  But  neither  he  nor  his 
opponent  seems  to  have  entertained  the  slightest  suspicion 
that  any  such  traditional  interpretations  existed.  I  mean  not 
to  allege  Justin's  silence  as  a  proof  that  they  did  not  exist, 
but  that,  even  if  they  did  exist,  it  is  most  improbable  that  he 
derived  his  own  opinions  from  them. 

Having,  as  we  think,  satisfactorily  replied  to  the  charge 
which  has  been  brought  against  Justin  of  corrupting  the  gospel 
l)y  an  admixture  of  philosophical  notions  derived  from  the 
■writings  of  Plato,  we  will  proceed  to  consider  what  he  has 
actually  delivered  respecting  the  Aoyos  and  the  Trinity. 

In  the  first  Apology}  Justin,  when  defending  the  Christians 

^  P.  60  (17).  "  Worshipping  the  Creator  of  all — we  honour  the  Master 
Who  instructed  us  in  this  kind  of  worship,  and  Who  was  born  for  this  very 
purpose,  and  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate,  Procurator  of  Judsea,  in  the 
reign  of  Tiberius  Caesar,  even  Jesus  Christ,  Whom  we  know  to  be  the  Son 
of  the  true  God,  and  therefore  hold  Him  the  second  in  order,  and  the 

prophetic    Spirit    the    third.'        rli    dtif/.ioupyov    tou^i    toZ    watri;    ir<liirt,'.voi — r»» 


40  Some  Account  of  the 

against  the  charge  of  atheism,  says  that  they  worshipped  the 
Creator  of  the  universe,  and  placed  next  to  Him  His  Son, 
and  honoured  in  the  third  place  the  prophetic  Spirit.  In 
another  place  the  same  statement  is  made  with  reference  to 
the  same  charge. ^  Again,  speaking  of  the  opinions  of  Plato, 
Justin  says  :  "  For  he  gives  the  second  place  to  the  Logos  of 

2/3a«'xaXov  ri  roiruv  yivofiivav  rifuv  xa.)  lU  rouro  yivvniUra  'itiffout  Xpurrov, 
rav  trravpuSivra,  s-r/  TIovtiou  niXdrou  reu  yivoftivov  iv  'loutaia  k-r)  yp'ovoi; 
Tifiipiou  Kaiirapo;  t'jrirpo'^ov,  viiv  avrov  roZ  ovrui  Qsau  fia^ivTi;  Kai  Iv  iivripec 
X'^Pf  '^X^'^'^^f  rrvivf/.a.  ri  ■rpo(pyiTixov  h  Tp'trn  ra^u  —  Tif/.afiiv.  See,  with 
reference  to  the  Aiyos,  p.  59  E  (15).     y4/>oI.  ii.  p.  51  D. 

1  "Him  and  His  only-begotten  Son  Who  has  instructed  us  in  what  I 
just  now  mentioned  concerning  these  evil  spirits,  and  likewise  acquainted 
us  with  another  host  of  good  and  godlike  ministering  spirits, — both  These, 
I  say,  together  with  the  Spirit,  Who  spake  by  the  prophets,  we  worship 
and  adore.  akX  Ikuvov  n,  xcu  rov  vra-p  avTov  viov  IXSovra  ku.)  2iSa^avrce 
n/ius  rctuva,  kcci  rov  rati  aXXuv  I'profji.ivtdv  xa.)  i^o/^oiov/iivav  ayaDav  ayyiXuy 
g'rpccTov,  9rvivf/.ci  n  ro  -rpo/pririKh  (Tt^'o/jLifla  xa]  ■rpo<rxuvaZfitv.  P.  56  C.  This 
passage  has  been  alleged  by  the  Roman  Catholics  to  prove  that,  in  the 
earliest  times  of  the  Christian  Church,  worship  was  paid  to  angels.  To 
get  rid  of  the  inference,  Protestant  writers  have  had  recourse  to  various 
expedients.  Grabe  connects  xa)  rh — trrparov  with  hfiis,  and  supposes 
Justin  to  have  meant  that  "  the  Son  of  God  communicated  the  truths  (of 
which  Justin  was  speaking)  to  us  (men)  and  to  the  host  of  good  angels." 
This  interpretation  he  supports  by  referring  to  Eph.  iii.  10  :  "  To  the 
intent  that  now  unto  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places 
might  be  known  by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God."  "va  yvapiir^^ 
*uv  raTs  ipx'^i'S  *«'  Ta~j  i^ouiri'ais  iv  roT;  iTrovpccvion  S/a  r^j  IxxXynrius  fl  -foXu- 
iro'txiXos  tr/xpia  rou  &iou.  And  to  Irenseus,  lib.  ii.  c.  55  :  "The  ever  co- 
existing Son  of  the  Father  of  old  time,  and  from  the  beginning,  ever 
reveals  the  Father  to  the  angels,  and  to  the  archangels,  and  to  the  princi- 
palities and  powers,  and  to  all  to  whom  God  will  reveal  Him."  "  Semper 
co-existens  P'ilius  Patri  olim  et  ab  initio,  semper  revelat  Patrem  et  Angelis, 
et  Archangelis,  et  Potestatibus,  et  Virtutibus,  et  omnibus  quibus  vult 
revelare  Deus."  Others,  and  among  them  Le  Nourry,  though  a  Bene- 
dictine, connect  xa,)  rov — crparov  with  ravra,  and  suppose  Justin  to  mean 
that  the  Son  of  God  communicated  to  us  these  truths  (viz.  that  the 
demons  were  not  gods),  and  also  the  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  a  host 
of  good  angels.  (We  find  h^alavros  Txura.  Apol.  ii.  p.  49  A.  \%'i1a.%i 
raZra.     Apol.    i.    p.    99   B.)      Others,    instead   of    arpariv,    would    read 


Writings  of  Jtistin  Martyr.  41 

God  decussated  upon  the  world,  and  the  third  place  he  assigns 
to  the  Spirit,  which  is  said  to  move  upon  the  face  of  the  waters, 
thus  expressing  himself,  'The  Third  about  the  Third.'" ^ 
And  with  reference  to  the  rite  of  baptism  :  "  For  they  are 
washed  in  the  name  of  God  the  Father  and  Lord  of  all,  and  of 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^  And  again  : 
"  In  every  eucharistical  sacrifice  we  bless  the  Maker  of  all 
things  through  His  Son  Jesus  Christ  and  through  the  Holy 
Spirit."  3 

When  we   proceed  further  to  inquire  into  the  manner  in 
which  Justin  distinguishes  between  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity, 

^rparnyov,  and  construct  for  Justin  a  sentence  which,  careless  as  he  is,  we 
believe  him  to  have  been  incapable  of  writing.  One  thing  is  certain — that 
Justin,  who  expressly  states  that  there  were  three  objects  of  Christian 
worship,  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  His  Son,  and  the  prophetic  Spirit, 
could  not  intend  to  represent  the  angelic  host  as  a  distinct  object  of  wor- 
ship, I  have  sometimes  thought  that  in  this  passage  xai  t»v — trTpariy  is 
equivalent  to  fura.  rou  —  trrpaTou,  and  that  Justin  had  in  his  mind  the 
glorified  state  of  Christ,  when  He  should  come  to  judge  the  world,  sur- 
rounded by  the  host  of  heaven.  Compare  the  Dialogue  with  Tryp/to,  p. 
247  E.  "  For  the  Son  of  man  will  come  upon  the  clouds,  even  as  Daniel 
foretold,  the  angels  with  Him."  u;  u/d;  yap  utSpu-rou  iTedvu  vitpikuv  Ixiv- 
ffiTaiy  us  AawjjX  if/.^viia'sii,  ayylXuv  ffvi)  avrco  a(piKvi>ufiiv&/v.  Apol.  i.  p.  87  B 
(63).  "When  encircled  with  heavenly  glory  and  His  host  of  angels." 
5Va»  it6STijj  oa^sjs  l|  oupxvuv  //.ira,  Tij;  ayyiXixni  al/Tou  arpariis  x.  T.  i.  So 
p.  71  B  (37).  Justin,  speaking  of  Satan,  says:  "  Who  together  with  all 
his  hosts  of  angels,  and  men  like  himself,  shall  be  thrust  into  fire,  there 
to  be  tormented,  world  without  end,  as  our  Christ  has  foretold."  «v  ils  ro 
vvp  •pri/jt.^SniritrSai  f/,ira,  rni  airou  (rrparia,;  ku.)  ruiv  iTfof^ivci/v  a.vSpu'Xui,  xoXatr- 
6woft,itovi  Tov  uTipavrov  ccluva,  •TTpaijJi.wiJaii  0  'X-pirros,  In  the  Dialogue,  p.  264 
A,  we  find,  "  that  by  this  arrangement  the  serpent  who  has  done  evil  from 
the  beginning,  and  his  angels  who  are  like  him,  may  be  destroyed."  'Uu, 
S/a  riif  oiKovofjiiag  ravrm  0  •^ov/ipiuff/xfuvos  riiv  ap^iiv  o(pii  xa)  01  i^ofioiu^ivre; 
auTu  ayyiXoi  xaraXvSZffi.  See  also  pp.  327  D,  360  D,  and  284  B,  where 
Christ  is  said  to  have  called  Himself  the  Leader  of  the  Heavenly  Host. 
Compare  p.  286  A. 

1  Apol.  i.  p.  93  B  (72).  2  Apol.  p.  94  A  (74). 

^  lb.  p.  98  C  (91). 


42  Some  Account  of  the 

we  find  that  there  are  certain  epithets  and  expressions  which 
he  applies  to  the  first  Person  alone,  such  as  Unbegotten,i 
Ineffable,  the  Maker  and  Creator  of  all  things.^     He  says  ^ 

1  So  I  translate  ayivvuros.  Waterland,  in  all  these  passages,  would  sub- 
stitute ayivums  for  ayivvfirts,  vol.  iil.  p.  248,  ed.  Oxon.  1823.  «T/  "X-pwroTaxos 
Tu  ocyivvtirif  ©sf  1(tti.  "  That  He  is  the  first-begotten  of  the  unbegotten 
God.  Apol,  i.  p.  88  A  (64).  rov  yaf  aitt  ay£vv»)T«ii  xou  upprirov  ©sou 
Xoyev  /iira  Tov  ©£ov  ■jrpoffKvvovi/.iv  xa)  aya-jruy-Di.  "We  worship  and  love 
the  Word  of  the  unbegotten  God,  together  with  God."  Apol.  ii.  p,  51  D. 
See  also  p.  50  C.  e  yap  appriros  •Tfa.rvtp  ku.)  xvpios  tuv  '^dvreav  ol/n  "Tai 
aip7>c,ra.i  «uVe  Vipi^ariTf  ovri  xahv'Sii,  oliri  avitrraroci,  aXX  h  rri  alrou  X^Pf 
i-rou  troTt  fiivii,  x.  r.  i.  "  The  ineffable  Father  and  Lord  of  the  whole 
world  neither  comes  to  any  place,  nor  walks  about,  nor  sleeps,  nor  rises 
up,  but  remains  in  His  own  country  wherever  that  may  be."  Dial,  p, 
356  E.  Tou  //.ivau  xa)  ayivvr,rou  xai  appnrou  Siov  viov.  "  The  Son  of  the 
only  and  unbegotten  ineffable  God."  P.  355  D.  ''»  aytn»Tu  ©s*  ha. 
rou  Xpiffrou.  ' '  To  the  unbegotten  God  through  Christ ."  Apo/.  i.  p.  85 
B  (60).  fitra,  70V  arpi-^Toy  xcci  ai)  ovra  Stiv.  "The  next  place  to  the 
immutable  eternal  God."  P.  61  A  (18).  ©£»  St  /iovu  ru  ayivvtira)  ha  rov  viov 
5*o^£^a.  "  We  come  over  to  the  obedience  of  the  only  unbegotten  God 
through  His  Son."  P.  61  B  (18).  Justin,  as  we  have  already  seen,  says 
that  God  has  no  proper  name  —  no  name  expressive  of  His  essence  : 
the  names  which  we  apply  to  Him  are  expressive  only  of  His  attributes. 
Thus  Apol.  i.  p.  94  D  (76).  o>ia/«a  yap  tZ  appnta  ©£»  ovliii  i;^£;  u-jruv. 
"Because  we  have  not  any  appellation  for  the  ineffable  majesty  of  God." 
P.  95  C  (79).  Tav  avuve/u.aiT'rav  ©£ov  XiXaXtixivat  rat  tAcaffu.  "  It  WaS  the 
unnameable  God  Who  thus  conversed  with  Moses."  Apol.  ii.  p.  45  D.  See 
p.  9,  n.  I.  cva/aa  Je  tu  •xairut  Tarpi  hrov,  ayltmru  ovri,  olx  iffri*.  DlcU.  p. 
277  B.  -Ttapa  Tov  vooufitvov  vomT'/iv  raiv  oXodi.  A  doubt,  however,  may 
arise  whether  in  some  cases  Justin  does  not  use  the  word  God  absolutely, 
not  with  reference  to  the  Father,  as  distinct  from  the  Son  and  Holy 
Spirit. 

^  Thus  He  is  called  0  ■^ravruv  •TraTnp  xai  "Snf^iovpyos.  Apol,  i.  p.  57  -^  (lo)- 
i  ■^oitirhs  Tou^i  rati  ravres,  p.  70  B  (35)'  *  'ini^tavpyos  tov^i  rov  'ravrof, 
pp.  60  C  {16),  92  A  (70).  0  inr^orris  ■ffavruv  xa)  Tarhp  Qi'os,  pp.  7^  E  (45), 
81  C  (52),  83  D  (57).  0  ToiiiTrii  Tuv  oXuv  @ios  xa)  'prarrip.  Dial.  p.  225  A. 
0  •ffatroxparup  xat  -ffoinrrii  tuv  oXuv  0£o;,  pp.  234  -^j  3'^  ■^-  °  "Ttarnp  riov 
oXuv  xai  ay'ivvriTos  ©so?,  p.  34^  A. 

*  ii'^o  aXXou  TOV  iv  ro"^;  {/■Tripoupanoi;  aii  fi'ivovTos,  x,a)  oldin  o(phvros,  fl  o//,iXti- 
ravTo;  S/'  lavTou  Tton,  «v  -Tror/frriv  tou  oXou  xa)  ■jraripa  vooZy.iv,  *  By  Him 
Who  remains  always  in  the  highest  heaven,  and  is  seen  of  none,  neither 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  43 

also  that  the  Father  never  descended  on  earth  or  appeared  to 
man,  but  remained  always  in  the  highest  heaven. 

With  respect  to  the  second  Person  in  the  Trinity,  Justin 
says  that  in  the  beginning,  before  all  created  things,  God  begat 
from  Himself  a  certain  Rational  Power,  Who  is  called  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  sometimes  the  Son,  some- 
times the  Wisdom  ;  and  he  illustrates  the  mode  of  genera- 
tion by  a  comparison  borrowed  from  a  fire,  which  does  not 
diminish  the  fire  from  which  it  is  lighted.^  So  this  Rational 
Power  was  generated  without  any  abscission  or  division  of  the 
essence  or  substance  of  the  Father.  Sometimes  instead  of 
the  word  generation,  Justin  uses  emission  or  prolation.^    The 

holds  converse  with  any  except  by  another's  agency,  Whom  we  recognise 
as  the  Father  and  Creator  of  the  universe."  Dial.  p.  275  A.  al  to» 
!ra/»)Tn»  Tav  oXftJV  Kct)  •xarifoi.,  KCuraXt'Ttoira,  to,  vjtif  oupuvov  aTravra,  tv  cXiytu 
ytis  fiopiu  Titpav^ai  Toi;  iffrifavv,  Kav  f^mpov  toZi  iX"^^)  ''"o^i"''"'"  t'l^uv.  "  No 
one  even  with  little  sense  will  dare  to  say  that  the  Father  and  Creator  of 
the  universe  left  the  highest  heaven,  and  showed  Himself  to  any  one  in  a 
small  part  of  the  earth."  P.  283  B.  See  also  p.  356  E,  quoted  in  note  i, 
p.  56,  357  B. 

1  apxhyi  "rpo  •pravrav  rav  Kriv/^ariuv  0  €)ios  yiyUtriKi  ^uvafiiv  riva.  l|  Icevrao 
XoyiKitv,  nns  xai  Vo^a  Kupiou  u-xo  rov  ^rviu/^aroi  rou  ky'tou  xaXiTrxi,  -roTi  Ti  u'los, 
orori  St  (Toipia — xa,)  h-Xolai  It)  -xvpoi  opSfmi  aXXo  yiyvof^iiVDv,  ovk  iXaTrcu//.syou  iKiivev 
IS  oS  »  ava-4"S  y'iyoviv,  aXXa,  roZ  kItou  //.'ivovtos.  Dial.  p.  284  A.  u-xtov 
rh*  Syvaw/v  ravrnv  yiytvvyiff^ai  octto  rou  •jrwrpo;  duvcif/,11  x.ai  (louXri  aurov,  aXX' 
eh  xara  aTTorof^riy,  aii  a'prof^ipiXofiivns  Tns  tou  ■raTpos  ovaia;,  o'Xola  ra  aXXa. 
ifaiTtt,  i/,ipiZ,oi/.lt(i  KOi  Tifjt.\'oiJLi-ia,  oh  to.  ahra  iffrii  Si  xa)  Tplv  rfcri^Hvixi'  xa.) 
va.pa^i'iyjji,a.ro;  %a/"v  '?ra,puXn<pitv  ra,  a;  (f.  u;  ra)  avo  ■Tfupos  avx-rroftiva.  Tvpa. 
iTipa  opuiMy,  ov'iiv  iXa.rrovfA.ivov  ixilvov,  s^  ov  Oivaif^nvai  ToXXa  duvoivrcci,  aXXk 
rahrou  fiivovroi,  p.  35"  ^' 

*  aXX«  rovro  ro  rai  ovri  0,7:0  rov  ■rxrpo;  ^rpoliXiifiv  yiv>vfi«,  ^rpo  Tra-vruDi  ruv 
'ToinfA.OLruv  ffvtiriv  ru  Tccrpi.  xa.)  rovrw  0  -prarhp  ■VpoirofiiXiT,  f.  ^poirufiiXu, 
"  And  this  Product  being  truly  prolated  by  the  Father  was  one  with  the 
Father  before  all  created  things.  And  the  Father  held  intercourse  with 
Him."     P.  285  E.      MivoYixayAv  ovra,   xa)  -rpi  'zavrcav  ■roiyifi'.ariaii,  aoro  rov  Tarpos 

ivvayAi  ahrou  xa)  (iovX^  TrpoiX^ovra.  "We  knew  that  He  was  begotten 
before  all  created  things  by  the  power  and  will  of  the  Father."  P.  327  B. 
«T/  ohx   'iffny  aiipuj-Ki'tov  ipyov,  aXXa   rri;  (iovX'/ii   rov   TpofiaXXovros    avroy   Trarpoi 


44  Some  Account  of  the 

general  opinion  of  the  Ante-Nicene  Fathers  appears  toliavebeen 
that,  previously  to  this  generation  or  emission,  the  Logos  sub- 
sisted from  eternity  in  a  state  of  most  intimate  union  with  the 
Father,  though  personally  distinct  from  Him,  being  His  Intelli- 
gence and  His  Counsellor  in  devising  the  plan  of  creation. 
But  though  we  find  in  Justin's  writings  nothing  decidedly  at 
variance  with  this  opinion,  he  nowhere  expresses  it  in  clear 
and  explicit  terms.  For  most  of  the  passages,  quoted  by  Bull 
and  Grabe,^  in  order  to  prove  that  Justin  held  the  doctrine  of 
the  coeternity  of  the  Logos  with  the  Father,  are  capable  of  a 
different  interpretation,  and  may  be  understood  merely  of  an 

Tuy  oXuv  Bsou.  "  That  He  is  not  made  by  man  but  by  the  will  of  Him 
Who  made  Him,  God  the  Father  of  ihe  universe."     P.  301  B. 

*  evefia  Tt  rZ  oravrav  •Jfarfi  hrov,  ayivvnru  evri,  ohx,  iffriv.  u  ykp  a,v  xa.) 
iti//.ctri  (f.  oyiy.aTi  <ns)  •rpaffayopiVfirai,  vpiffPiUTipov  'iX-'  ''"'"'  ^^i^svov  to  ti)io//,a. 
Tfl  Se  ■Ttarrip,  xa.)  0£Of,  xa)  XTiffrhs,  xa,)  Kvpios,  xa)  ^iff'Tt'oms  oux  hv'of/,ara  ifTiv, 
aXX'  Ix  Tuv  lu'jratiuv  xa)  ruv  ipyuv  vpoffpriffus.  0  "Si  v'lo;  Ixilvou,  a  f^iovo;  Xiyo- 
filvcs  xvpius  vios,  0  Aoyos  fpo  rav  for/ifiariav  xai  ffvvuv  xai  ytvua/^ctyo;,  o-Ti  TtiM 
*px}i*  ^'  aliTov  vavra  'IxTiin  xa.)  ixorfifiin,  "^pttrros  filv  xara  to  xi^piiriai  xa) 
Kairfiirai  Ta  •^ravTa  S/'  aurou  tov  &iov,  XiyiTai'  ovoy-a  xa.)  auTo  •npn^o)!  ayvtuffTov 
Tti/^aff'ia))'  cf  Tp'o-rov  xa)  to  0ioj  •^poffayopiuf/.a,  oux  otofj-a  \<rTiy,  aXXa  irpayfi-aToi 
^uffiinynrav  'ifi.(pvTos  t7i  (pCini  Tuiy  aySpoii'jruy  "hiyia.  Apol.  ii.  p.  44  D,  translated 
in  p.  6_of  this  work.  On  this  passage  Bull  remarks  :  "In  his  verbis  docet 
Justinus  Deo  Patri  et  Filio  nullum  proprie  nomen  competere,  sed  tantiim 
appellationes  quasdam,  ab  ipsorum  beneficiis  et  operibus  petitas,  ipsis  a 
nobis  tribui.  Hujus  autem  assertionis  rationem  banc  affert :  quod  Deus 
Pater  ingenitus  atque  seternus  sit ;  Filius  vero  ut  Verbum  ejus  ipsi  co- 
existat ;  ac  proinde  uterque  neminem  habeat  se  antiquiorem,  qui  ipsi 
nomen  imponeret.  Quin  et  Cliristi  nomen  ejus  Divinitati  tribuit  Justinus, 
quasi  scilicet  a  Aayas  et  Filius  Dei  Deo  Patri  coexistens  et  ex  ipso  ab 
aterno  nascens  (tanquam  scilicet  seternse  lucis  ssternus  splendor)  tum 
Christi  nomen  sortitus  fuerit,  quum  Pater  per  ipsum  cuncta  conformaverit 
ornaveritque."  Def.  Fid.  Nic.  sect,  iii.  c.  2,  sub  in.  With  respect  to 
this  comment,  we  may  observe,  in  the  first  place,  that  Justin  does  not 
assert  that  no  name  can  properly  and  essentially  be  given  to  the  Son,  but 
to  the  Father  of  all  things,  an  appellation  uniformly  applied  by  Him  to  the 
Father,  as  distinct  from  the  Son  ;  in  the  next  place,  that  Justin  does  not 
say  that  the  Son  existed  together  with  the  Father  from  eternity,  but  before 
all  created  things,   ^po  ruv  •xiiniJ-a.Tuy ;  and   thirdly,  that  Justin  does  not 


Wj'itings  of  Justht  Martyr.  45 

existence  prior  to  the  creation  of  all  things.  The  expression 
which  is  in  appearance  most  opposed  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
coeternity  of  the  Son  with  the  Father  is  in  a  passage  of  the 
Dialogue  with  Trypho,  p.  358  E,  where  Justin  quotes  Gen. 
xix,  24  to  prove  that  the  Old  Testament  recognises  two  dis- 
tinct Lords, — One  Who  descended  on  earth  to  hear  the  cry  of 
Sodom ;  the  Other  Who  remained  in  heaven,  "Who,"  Justin  goes 
on  to  say,  "  is  the  Lord  of  the  Lord  on  earth,  as  being  Father 
and  God,  and  is  the  cause  of  His  (the  Lord  on  earth)  being 
both  powerful,  and  Lord,  and  God  : "  os  Koi  toO  ItA  yrjs  Kvpiov 
Kvptos  icTTiv,  (1)9  Trarrjp  Kat  ©cos,  amos  T€  avTw  tov  eivat  kol 
Swarw,  Kol  Kvpiio,  kol  Oew.     See  Bull's  remarks  on  this  passage, 

say  that  the  Son  received  the  name  of  Christ,  when  the  Father  made  all 
things  by  Him.  Grabe  accordingly  seems  not  to  have  been  satisfied  with 
Bull's  interpretation,  though  he  contends  that  the  word  crwav,  "being  in 
company  with,"  implies  the  eternal  existence  of  the  Son  with  the  Father  ; 
referring  in  support  of  his  opinion  to  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  p.  267  B  ; 
!r^ouVa^;^;£;v  Sjov  ovra  vfo  aiuiui  Toumv  Xfurriv,  "  Christ  to  have  been  God 
before  all  ages,"  p.  276  D  ;  tov  xa)  -xfl  ^mwta/s  xoffy.ov  ovra  Qiov,  "  He 
was  God  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  and  to  p.  285  E,  quoted  in 
note  2,  p.  43,  of  which  passages,  as  well  as  of  p.  264  A  —  Ss  »«/  -rpo 
iiuir<popou  xx.)  criXrtvns  h,  "  Who  existed  before  the  morning  star  and  the 
moon,"  it  may  still  be  said  that  they  are  not  decisive  ;  for  Arius  appears 
to  have  been  willing  to  call  Christ,  rlv  Ix,  ■^a.rpos  -^po  wuvtuv  ruv  oduvui 
yiymnf/.Uov,  6iov  Xoyov,  "  God  the  Word,  begotten  of  the  Father  before 
all  worlds."  Socrates,  J/ist.  Eccl.  1.  i.  c.  26.  Waterland  also  classes 
Justin  among  the  writers  who  make  the  generation  of  the  Son  temporary, 
vol.  i.  p.  104.  Observe,  too,  what  he  says  respecting  Bishop  Bull  in  p. 
105.  There  is  in  p.  302  B  a  very  remarkable  passage  :  »ai  Aa/3iS  Vi  vpo 
nXiov  xai  ff'iX'/jv*);  ix  ycuzrpcs  yivvrJrurKr^ai  avrov  Kara  tjjv  tov  Tarpo;  /3auX»» 
ixripuli,  "And  David  proclaimed  that  He  was  begotten  from  tiie  womb 
of  the   sun   and   the  moon,  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father."     The 

reference  is   to  Ps.   ex.   3  •    '^'    tkTs    Xaf/.-TrpcTHtn    ruiv    kyiuv   sou,  ix    yaff-rpos    Vpo 

iutr(p'opou  lyiMvnird  tn,  "  In  the  beauties  of  holiness  from  the  womb  before 
the  morning  star  have  I  begotten  Thee."  Commentators  generally  under- 
stand this  verse  of  the  generation  of  the  Son  to  create  the  universe  ; 
but  in  p.  286  E,  Justin  refers  it  to  His  birth  from  the  Virgin.  See 
pp.  82  E  (56),  250  C,  310  A.  In  p.  309  C,  the  words  l»  yxarph  are 
ciniited. 


46  Some  Account  of  the 

sect.  iv.  c.  I,  Def.  Fid.  Nic.  Again,  p.  311  B,  Justin  says:  os 
€crTi  KvjOtos  Twv  8wa/x€0)v  Sio.  TO  Qi\y]\x,a.  tov  Sovtos  avTw  Trarpos, 
"Who  is  the  Lord  of  hosts  by  the  will  of  the  Father  Who 
gave  Him  the  dominion."  When,  however,  we  find  it  ex- 
pressly stated  that  it  was  Christ  who  appeared  to  Moses,  and 
described  Himself  as  the  Necessarily  Existing  "I  am  that  I 
am,"  we  must  conceive  Justin  to  have  maintained  the  perfect 
divinity  of  Christ,  and  consequently  His  coeternity  with  the 
Father.i 

This  Rational  Power,  according  to  Justin,  was  begotten  or 
emitted,  that  He  might  be  the  minister  ^  of  the  Father  in 
creating  the  universe,^  and  conducting  what  the  Fathers  term 
the  Economy.*     Hence  we  find  Him  present  at  the  creation 

1  Apol.  i.  p.  95  E  (80). 

^  ftira  TDtJ  (paivofiivou  fiiv,  \k  rev  rri  rod  'Varpii  fievXr!  vViipiTiTv'  0s«u  oi,  ix 
TOV  iivai  Tixvov  vpuToroxoi  tuii  oXbit  xTKr/jidiruv.  Dial.  p.  354  ^'  Compare 
pp.  279  A,  280  D,  283  B,  284  A,  356  C,  357  C. 

'  aXX'  i-rtiir)  iyvonHyra  tov  0£ov  Sia  Xoyou  t%  xor/jcov  •^oinffoii  lyvaxra*. 
' '  Because  they  found  that  God  reflecting  upon  Himself  made  the  world 
by  His  Logos  or  Wisdom."  ApoL  i.  p.  97  B  (81).  atrn  Xoyu  eiou  ix 
Tut  i'^oxtifiiyan  xoii  'jTfio'inXuiSivTuy  %ia  Mafia);  yiyivtirieci  tov  TcivTa  xo<r/u.oi 
xa)  XlXaToiv,  xa)  oi  To-vra,  Xiyovris,  xa,)  '/i//.i7;  ii^i.6o[/,iy.  *'And  that  this 
chaos  first  mentioned  by  Moses  was  the  subject-matter  out  of  which  the 
Logos  of  God  made  the  world,  both  Plato  and  his  followers  and  we 
are  agreed."  P.  92  D  (71^-  uaTif  raXXa  itayro!.  Z^uia  Xoyiu  Biou  Tm  ap^hv 
iytytnin.  "And  all  the  other  animals  were  made  in  the  beginning  by 
the  Word  of  God."  Dial.  p.  310  C.  It  has  been  already  observed  that 
Justin  applies  the  expressions,  Maker  and  Creator  of  all  things,  to  the 
Father  exclusively  :  the  A'oyos  was  ministerial.  Justin  speaks  of  the 
world  as  created  out  of  matter  without  form  :  uXr.v  a/jt.r.p(poy  ol(ra,i  cTpi-^oLvja. 
{].  Tp'f^atra)  rov  Qiov  xoirfioy  'jroiyiffai.  "God  Created  the  world  out  of  a 
chaos  of  rude  matter."  Apol.  i.  p.  92  C  (71).  Compare  pp.  58  B  (12), 
99  A  (94).  We  must  not,  however,  thence  infer  that  he  maintained  the 
eternity  of  matter. 

*  By  the  word  o'lxovefiioi,  I  understand  that  dispensation  which  commenced 
with  the  generation  of  the  Son  for  the  purpose  of  creatiag  the  universe, 
and  will  end  when  "  He  shall  deUver  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  47 

of  man  ;^  He  it  was  Who  appeared  to  Abraham, ^  Who  wrestled 
with  Jacob,^  Who  conversed  with  Moses  from  the  burning 
bush,*  Who  announced  the  approaching  fall  of  Jericho  to 
Joshua,^  Who  inspired  the  prophets,^  Who  in  the  fulness  of  time 
condescended  to  be  born  of  the  Virgin,'^  to  assume  the  human 
form,  and  to  suffer  death  on  the  Cross  ;  Who  rose  again  from 

Father"  (l  Cor,  xv.  24).  This  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  its  fullest 
acceptation  :  but  it  is  also  applied  to  any  particular  event  or  epoch  in  that 
dispensation.  Thus  to  the  Passion  of  Christ,  x.u.'i  tS  toZ  yi\oiAiov  ■ra.Hov; 
ulrou  oiKovofiia,  "And  to  the  task  of  His  completed  Passion,"  Z>ta^,  pp.  247 
D,  331  A  ;  to  His  assumption  of  our  nature,  p.  264  A  ;  to  His  compliance 
with  the  Mosaic  ordinances,  p.  291  E;  to  His  ministiy  on  earth,  p.  315 
A ;  to  His  birth  from  the  Virgin,  p.  348  B,  Sometimes  the  word  appears 
to  be  equivalent  to  mystery,  and  to  signify  that  some  hidden  meaning  is 
couched  under  any  action  or  event ;  for  instance,  under  the  polygamy  of 
the  patriarchs,  pp.  364  A,  371  A.     So  we  find,  p.  334  E,  with  reference  to 

Jonah  S  gourd,  oia,  rr.i  oixoyofiias  rov  Ix  rris  yns  afar'JXni  alru  aixuaya,       "  By 

this  mysterious  arrangement  a  gourd  arose  for  him  out  of  the  earth." 
Mosheim,  Cent.  ii.  p.  2,  c.  3,  sect,  viii.,  speaks  of  a  mode  of  disputing  xar 
eixtvufiiav ;  but  there  is  no  vestige  of  this  use  of  the  word  in  Justin  or  the 
earlier  Fathers.  In  my  work  on  Clement  of  Alexandria,  p.  398,  1  have 
gone  fully  into  this  question. 

1  DiaL  p.  2S5  B. 

^  on  i  liph);  TM  '  Afipaafi  vpos  Tin  "Spui  rri  M'xf^fip^  &iis.  "  That  God  appeared 
to  Abraham  at  the  oak  of  Mamre."  JJmL  pp.  275  A,  276  E,  281  E.  See 
P-  34.  n.  3. 

3  Dmi.  p.  281  E.     See  p.  25,  n.  6. 

l»  idia  I'vpo;  IK  jixTou  Tp/xriufii'Xtiinv  atiTM  {to!  MafftT)  a  ti/^irtpos  Xpiirri;, 
"  Our  Christ  talked  with  him  (Mos^s)  out  of  the  bush  in  the  appearance  of 
fire."     Apol.  i.  p.  95  B  (79).     Dial.  pp.  282  D,  340  D.     See  p.  25,  n.  7. 

^  DiaL  p.  2S6  A. 

Xey^S    yap   mv   xai   iimv   0   ly    •;faiTi   Siv,  xa)    ^ly,    riy    ■rpe(p-/iTeiiv    -rpoiiTaiv    ra 

fAxXovra,  y'lyviir^ai.  "  For  tlie  Word  was  and  is  and  exi-ts  in  all  things. 
Who  also  prophesied  by  the  prophets  who  were  to  come."  ^^0/.  ii. 
p.  49  A. 

XoiTov  ovv  xa)  or/  euro;  oia,  tti;  vapSivou  HvSpwTfai  ytvvnfijvai  xara  ttiv  rati 
«eirptis  air  an  fiouXufiv  vTif,iiiviv,  airooi;?ay,  xa.)  irravpuSTivai,  xa)  a'troSavui'  or\Xoi> 
(f.  ov^Xov)  ii  xa)  on  //.ito,  raura  ava/rras  aviX^Xuhv  ih  Toy  ovpavov.  Dial, 
p.  286  C.  aXX  iis  i'^odii^v  yiyotafff)  oiii  o't  Xoyoi,  on  mo;  @iot/  xa)  a'^rorToXe; 
Itlffovs  0  yipiiTTc;  '.o'Ti,  'Tf.o'Tipoy  Xoyoi  w  xa.)  it  i«ia  'jTvpof  iroT'.  (fiaviis'  'iron,  it   xtti 


48  Some  Accou7it  of  the 

the  dead,  ascended  into  heaven,  and  shall  come  again  to  judge 
mankind.^ 

Of  the  titles  applied  by  Justin  to  the  second  Person  in  the 
Trinity,  some  have  reference  to  His  nature  ;  some  to  the 
relation  in  which  He  stands  to  the  Father ;  some  to  the  part 
which  He  bears  in  the  gospel  economy.  In  the  first  respect 
He  is  repeatedly  called  God,^  and  said  to  be  the  object  of 
worship.^ 

In  the  second  respect  He  is  called  the  Son  of  God  in  a 
pecuhar   sense,*  or    His  only  -  begotten  Son,  His  Reason  or 

£v  iiKoii  a,ffu[/,a,ra»i'  vuv  ii  oia  6iXYiy.aros  Siou  u'JT'.p  rov  av^pa'Tilou  yivov;  av^puTas 
yivofiivo;,  i/'rifiuvi  xai  vrxhTy  k,  r.  i.      Apol.  i.  p.  96  A  (80). 

^  xosl  ai/ros  '!'h*  Kpiffiv  tou  -Trairtii  av^pa-^ivuu  yivoui  rrtiiriirirai,  "  And  that  He 
should  come  to  be  the  Judge  of  all  the  world."  Apol,  i.  p.  88  A  (64). 
Seep.  57  B(  10). 

*  OS  xa)  Xoyoi  (f.  supplend.  xa.))  TTpuroroxoi  ui  rod  ®iou,  xa)  Bios  vvap^n. 
Apol.  i.  p.  96  D  (81).  Dial.  pp.  267  B,  276  D,  quoted  in  note  i,  p.  44,  p. 
314  15.  ouros  auros  Bios  «^v  ffrtfiocivn  rca  Mai/ri7,  p.  282  E.  xoi]  ayyiXo;  xaXou- 
fiivos  xa)  Bios  vrroipy^uv,  p.  283  D.  //.otprvpyiini  o'i  f/,ot  0  Aoyos  rris  ffo^ias,  ocl/Tos 
0J1  euros  0  Bios  aTo  roZ  'Xarpos  rut  o'Kait  yivv/ihis,  p.  284  C.  "va,  xai  Qiov  av&j- 
fiv  'X(oiX6'ovrx,  xa)  av^pidTov  iv  avSpai'^rris  yivo/j,ivov,  yv/upio'ttn,  p.  288  E.  0  [/.iv 
yap  (Mo/ff'Sj)  'Tpoirxaipov  'iSaixiv  auroTs  rh"  xXtipovofiiav,  an  oh  ^piaros  0  Bios  av, 
ouSs  vios  BioZ,  pp.  340  D,  354  ■^'  '"'*'''  ^^"  ''"'"  hy-tripov  'npias,  xa)  Biov,  xa) 
yipiVTev,  viou  rov  Tarpo;  run  oXuv,  yiyvtirSai  //.iXXovruv,  p.  343  -^'  *'"'  '"''' 
■xaiovs  0  ^'iTTovh  S('  ahrou  0  Qios  rod  Biov,  yifji.V'/irai,  p.  345  A.  ©£05  Biou  vl'os, 
p.  357  D.  obx  ai  l^TipviTa^h  ahrov  iivai  Biov,  rov  yovov  xa)  ayivyfirev  xa)  app'/trov 
Biov  v'loy,  p.  355  •^*      aXX    ixiTvoii   rov   xara  fiovXiiv  rijv    ixiivov    xa.)    Biot    ovra, 

P-  357B-^ 

3  Tov  yap  a-ro  ayivvrirov  xa)  ap'pnrou  Biov  Xoyov  fura  rov  Biov  -rpocrxvvovjuiv  xa) 
ayavu/Aiv.  Apol.  ii.  p.  5^  C.  on  yovv  xa)  •xpotxuv'nros  ifri  xa)  Bios  >ca) 
Xpiffros  usro  rod  ravra  -jroinffavros  (/.aprvpovf/^ivos.      Dial.    p.    287   B.      See  also 

pp.  294  C,  302  B. 

■•  xai  'I'/iffovs  Xpiirros  fiovos  loius  vioi  ra  Biui  yiy'tvv/irai,  Aoyos  avrou  vvap^aiv, 
xa)  •jrpuroroxos,  xa)  livva/jLis.  Apol.  i.  p.  68  C  (3l)-  "'^i'  ahrou  [{.  ahrov)  rou 
ovrtas  Biou  fiaS'ovns,  p.  60  D  (i6).  Apol.  ii.  p.  44  D,  quoted  in  note  i,  p.  44. 
fiovoytvhs  yap  on  >j»  rui  I'arp)  ruv  oXav  ovros,  idiwf  ii,  ahrov  Aoyos  **i'  ouvafiiii 
yiy'vnfiivos  x.  r,  i.      Dial,  p.  33^  C. 


Writings  of  Jzistin  Martyr.  49 

Word,^  His  First-born  or  Begotten,^  His  Power,^  His  Thought 
or  Intelligence,  if  the  received  reading  is  correct,*  His  Christ 
or  Anointed,^  His  Glory,  His  Wisdom.^ 

1  According  to  the  passage  quoted  from  the  First  Apology  in  note  7, 
p.  47.  Christ  was  the  Aoya;  before  He  was  the  Son  and  Messenger  of 
God.  tuZtoi.  0  Aiyos,  @ui>;  (f.  Stos)  m,  ufiya.<ra.To,  "  The  Reason  that  is  Divine 
would  these  things  bring  about  effectually."  Apol.  i.  p.  58  D  (13).  »'  %\ 
Aoyos    Tou    Qiou    \<XTty    o    vlos    ahrou,    "  The    Logos    of   God    is    His    Son," 

p.  95  D  (79)- 

2  yyovri;  auTov  •rparcronov  fittv  tou  %iau,  xai  tpo  "Xclvtui  ruv  Krtfff/.a.Tuv  KCti 
Tui  "rarpiap^&iii,  vl'ov.     Dial.  p.  326  E.     See  pp.    310  B,   311  B,    367  D, 

344  C.  Tcu  %i  xa)  Tov  Aoyov,  0  iffri  ^pZrov  y'wvif^a  tou  Siau,  Apol,  i.  p. 
66  E  (29).  toUTi,  u  axpoaTCi],  i1  yi  xcu  Tot  vouv  crpotrip^^iTi,  xa)  on  yiyiviriffSai 
v-pTo  tou  -xaTpoi  TouTo  TO  yivviifioc  vpr-  irdnTiiiv  tt,'7t\u>;  Tan  xTi(rf/,a,Tav  o  Aoyos 
iStiXou'  xa.)  TO  yi)ivu[/,ivot  tou  yivvavTo;  api^ft^  iTip'ov  irTiv,  Ta;  oirriffouy  o/^oXoyn- 
(Tii;.  Dial.  p.  359  B,  Justin  uses  the  word  generation  in  speaking  of 
Christ  both  as  begotten  before  all  created  things,  and  as  born  from  the 
Virgin.  See  the  passages  quoted  in  note  i,  p.  44,  as  instances  of  the 
former  use  of  this  word,  and  the  following  examples  of  the  latter  :  il  Ss  xa.) 
'ti'ius  ■ga.pa.  TYii  xoiini  yivKriv  yiyivnaScti  ocLtov  ix  Biov  Xiyo/j.iv  Xoyov  Qiou,  x.  t.  i. 
Apol.  i.  p.  67  E  (30).  2/  Se  S(a  'TTO.pSitou  yiyivvnirSa.t  (pipof/.tv,  p.  68  B  (31). 
01'  Hv  d  u'lTiav  oia,  ouvoiu.ius  tou  Xoyov  xciToi  Tjjv  ToZ  TKTpos  •vcovthiv  xa)  iicri^roTou 
a.ou  [iouXhv,  oioc  'rap^ivou  av^pcoTos  cc'TixurtSn,  x-  t.  i,,  p.  83  D  (57)-  ^"^  y'^p 
•prapfivou  T/i;  a.-7ro  tou  iT'Xip(j-tt.To;  'laxi/B,  tou  yitofJiftvou  TaTpos  'lou^ct,  tou  SsojjXiy- 
//.ivou    lou'Sxio))!  'TTa.Tpoi,    aia,  ouva/^iu;    Siou    a-rixurj'/i,    p.    74   D    (4I),  where  ?;« 

iuvaf/.ic's  Wsoo,  "  by  the  power  of  God,"  is  equivalent  to  S;a  Ivtaf^iu;  tou  Xoyou, 
' '  by  the  power  of  the  Word, "  in  the  passage  before  cited.  See  also  Apol.  ii. 
p.  45  A.  Dial.  p.  241  B.  In  p.  316  E,  the  word  yivtvis  is  used  with 
reference  to  the  time  when  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  upon  Christ  at  His 
baptism,  and  the  voice  from  heaven  declared  Him  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
TOTS  yiviffiii  avTou  Xiyoiiv  y!yvi(r6ai  to7s  u.iSpui'Troii,  i^orov  fi  yyc^/ri;  a'uTou  if/.iXXz 
yty>i(rSa,i,  uio;  [iou  u  cv,  iyu  cn^ipot  yiyiiiv/)xci  ffi. 

oh  yap  troipidTrtS  UTTtip^iv,  aXXa,  outafu;  Biou  0  Aoyos  auroij  nv.  Apol.  i. 
p.  61  D  (IQ)-  ^  "^  'ffpciiTri  ouvay.i;  fjnTo.  tov  ira.Tipa,  -XatTut  xa)  ^l(f;toTti))  Blot, 
xcci  uio;,  0  Aoyos  iffTiv,  og  Titoi  Tpofot  ffo.pxo'ToiyJiii  atSpwxoi  ytyoviv,  iv  toi;  i|5?s 
ipoufz.sv,  p.  74  -^  (41  )•  **'  *  ayyiXos  tou  Biou,  TOUTiffTiv  ^  ouvafcis  tou  Biou  h 
'7n//.(ph'iffa  rifjL^v  ?;«  'lvt(Tov  Xpio'Tov.      Dial.  p.   344  A. 

xau  TOUTO  auTo,  co  (piXoi,  I'l'Tti  xa)  ota  Mu<riiu;  0  tou  Biou  A'oyo;,  //.Yituaiv  viijiiv, 
ov  idriXaxn,  tov  Biov  Xiyuv  toutoi  avTu  tu  toYi/z.aTi  scr/  Tn;  cro;»i<rsa);  tou  aifcu<Vou. 
X.   T.  £.     Dial.   p.   285  A.      But  Thirlby  suggests  that  we  should  read 

yitt;ilj.a,Tt. 

D 


50  Some  Account  of  the 

With  reference  to  the  part  borne  by  Him  in  conducting  the 
gospel  economy,  He  is  styled,  as  we  have  already  seen,  the 
Minister,^  and  the  Angel  or  Messenger  of  God.^ 

We  have  stated  that  Justin  supposed  the  generation  of  the 
Son  to  have  taken  place  without  any  abscission  or  division  of 
the  essence  or  substance  of  the  Father ;  and  that  he  illustrated 
his  notion  by  referring  to  a  fire,  which  suffers  no  diminution 
though  another  fire  is  lighted  from  it.  This  comparison  im- 
plies that  the  Father  and  Son  are  distinct,  though  of  one 
substance.  There  were,  however,  in  his  day  those  who 
contended  that  the  power  sent  forth  from  the  Father  was 
inseparable  from  Him,^  as  the  light  of  the  sun  on  the  earth  is 
inseparable  from  the  sun  in  the  heavens ;  so  that  when  the  sun 
sets,  the  light  is  withdrawn.  In  like  manner  the  Father,  when 
He  wills,  causes  a  power  to  proceed  from  Himself,  which  He 
also  recalls  at  pleasure.  Such  was  the  power  which  appeared 
to  Moses,  Abraham,  and  Jacob,  and  was  called  a  messenger  or 
angel  when  it  bore  the  commands  of  God  to  man ;  the  glory  of 
God,  when  it  was  seen  under  an  incomprehensible  appearance  \  * 
a  man,  when  it  assumed  the  human  form ;  and  the  Aoyos, 
when  it  repeated  the  words  of  the  Father  to  man.     The  angels 

'  xara  roZ  XpKrrou  rov  0£ov,  "  against  the  Christ  of  God."  Dt'al.  p,  322  C. 
rov  iavTou  Xpurriv,  "this  Christ."      D. 

^  riTi;  Koi  'ici^ct  Kvpiou  uvo  rov  •rvivy-a.Tiis  rod  ay'iov  x.a.Xura,i,  Tori  oi  v'loi,  •rori 
Vi  iro(pioi,  X.  r.   i.      Dial.  p.  284  A,  C.      ?o|a  rov  yivvntrocvros .      I). 

^  See  note  2,  p.  46. 

"^  KOt.)  ayyiXo;  xa,>.i7r«i  xa.)  kvoirroXo;'  avros  ya.f  a^ocyyiXXu  offct,  oit  yvaiff- 
^Hvai,  xa)  u'VoffriXXirxi  /^cuvuffav  'o(ra  ayyiXXirai,  Apol,  i.  p.  95  ^  (79)' 
See  p.  60  A  (15).  Dial.  pp.  275  C,  276  D,  283  C,  D.  ^eyaXjij  ^ovX^i 
xyytXtv,  pp.  301  C,  321  A,  355  B,  356  C.  In  p.  251  B,  we  find  an 
enumeration  of  the  names  given  to  Christ  in  Scripture.  fiairiXils,  hptvg, 
Bios,  xupios,  ayyiXos,  av^pcove;,  ap^iffrpirnyos,  XiSos,  ^aiiiov.  See  also  pp.  3 '3 
C,  327  C,  355  B.      cciMviog  rifiTy  vofiof  xai  riXiurctlo;  0  Xpiffros  iool'n,  pp.  228  B, 

242  A,  261  C,  271  C,  346  C. 

*  Dial.  p.  358  A. 

*  IV  a^upriru  -Ton  (^n\irn<Ttri,. 


Writings  ofjtisiin  Martyr.  5 1 

also  were  emanations  from  the  Father  of  the  same  kind.  In 
opposition  to  this  opinion,  Justin  maintains  that  the  angels 
have  a  distinct,  and  positive,  and  permanent  existence,  and  are 
not  resolved  into  the  substance  from  which  they  issued  ;  and 
that  the  power  to  which  the  word  of  prophecy  gives  the  titles 
of  God  and  angel  is  not  merely  the  Father  under  a  different 
name,  but  is  numerically  distinct  from  Him.^ 

With  respect  to  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  Justin  uniformly 
speaks  of  Him  as  perfect  man,'^  but  without  sin.^  He  seems, 
however,  to  have  thought  that  the  divine  nature  in  Christ  was 
so  blended  with  the  human  as  to  be  in  a  certain  sense  com- 
municated to  it.  For,  speaking  of  the  moral  precepts  of 
Christ,  he  says  that  the  cause  of  their  perfection  is  to  be  sought 
in  the  nature  of  Him  by  whom  they  were  delivered.  //.eyoAet- 
orepa  [xiv  ovv  Tracrv^s  avOpwiretov  oioacrKaA-tas   ^aiVerai  to.  rjfxeTepa 

1  oiv,  iu{  TO  row  itX'iou  0ois,  ov'of/,aTi  //.ovov  api^fJ-urcci,  i\Xa  xx)  afi^fieii  iTipov  ri 
ie-Tiv,  p.  358  C.  Compare  p.  276  E.  cV*  ovtos  0  n  rZ  ' Afipaafji,  xa.)  tm 
'ixKufi  xa)  r«  M.affi7  Z(p6at  Xiyifiivoi,  xa.)  yiypaf/.f/.tvo;  0£OJ,  iripo;  iirri  rou  to, 
'Xa.tTit  •jraiwavTOS  &iou,  api(f/.M  Xiyai,  aX>'  oh  yvufirt'  oiStv  y/ip  (pt)f/.i  abrov 
^i'Tpce^ivai  -ttoti  n  aTTip  avros  o  rov  xoffy.o'i  Tointrui,  vrip  ov  aXXog  oux  lari  Qsof, 
(iifsiouX'/irai  xa,)  Tpa^at  xai  i/yiiXiiirai,  p.  285  D.  vpis  Tiva,  xa)  api^/ji,S  Svra 
tTipov,  Xoyixov  uva.px,<i''ra.,  and  p.  359  B,  quoted  in  note  2,  p.  49. 

^  xa,]  aToSiixvvcjv  on  aXn^Z;  yiyoviv  avSpuTo;  avriXti'TTixais  Xa^aiii.  (f.  avri- 
Xn^Tixo;  cra^&Iv.)  Dial.  p.  325  A.  xat  S/  iaurov  ofJioto'Jta^oui  yivofiivov  xa)  S(2«- 
^anTos  ravra,.  Apol.  ii.  p.  49  A.  xoCi  yap  yivytih);  i-jvafiiv  rijv  avroZ  'iax,'-'  "■"■' 
a\j\i,)iut  xara  to  xonov  ruv  ccXXav  a-^avTuiv  av^pcu'Tcov,  ^piif/.stios  Toli  apiJi.oZ,ovffty, 
ixdo'rn  av^nffii  ro  olxilov  a-rivuf^ci,  rpi(pif,i,i''o;  ras  •^atra;  Tpo(pas,  x.  r.  £., 
pp.  315  C,  328  E,  332  D.  Justin  founds  a  singular  argument  in  proof  of 
the  supernatural  birth  of  Christ  on  the  wor<ls  of  Dan.  vii.  13,  14.     orav  yap 

&>;  u'iov  a.tipu'Xou  Xiyn  AavitiX  Tov  'zrapaXa/xlidvovTa  t'/iv  aiaviov  lixcriXiiav,  ovx  aVTO 
TouTo  ulvtffiTiTai  ;  ro  yap  u;  vlot  M^pwsov  nviTv,  ^aivofuvov  jK$v  xai  ytvo/xtvov 
avfpaorov  finvvti,  ovx  i%  avSpiiiTtivou  St  trcripuaToi  u'Trdp^ovTo,  '^nXoT,  p.  30I  A. 
See  p.  25,  note  2.  See  also  p.  331  E,  where  there  appears  to  be  an 
allusion  to  the  Docet^.  In  p.  327  A,  Justin  assigns  reasons  why  Christ 
called  Himself  the  Son  of  man. 

^  ccXXa  Tpos  TO  u)/a//,dpT>iros  iivai.  Dial.  p.  330  A,  D.  See  also  pp.  337 
E,  234  D,  235  B,  241  B,  254  B. 


52  Some  Account  of  the 

Zia.  to{)to,  XoyiKov  to  oXov  tov  (jiavevra  (Thirlby  would  read 
8ia  TO  XoyiKov  oAov  tov  (ftavevra,  Pearson  Sia  tov  to)  St  rjfxai 
HpUTTOv  yeyovevai  koL  (rwfut,  koi  Xoyov  kol  {jrvxv^-^  Where, 
whether  we  interpret  kol  X6yov  of  the  Divine  Nature,  or  suppose 
it  equivalent  to  vovv  as  distinguished  from  i{/vx>]v,  Justin  must 
be  understood  to  say  that  Christ  was  XoyiKos  as  to  the  whole 
of  His  human  nature.  It  should,  however,  be  observed  that, 
according  to  Justin,  the  whole  human  race  participated  of  the 
Aoyos.  In  the  First  Apology'^  he  supposes  an  objection  of  this 
nature  to  be  made — that  they  who  lived  before  Christ  entered 
upon  His  ministry  and  taught  mankind  how  to  believe  and  act, 
could  not  be  held  accountable  for  their  actions  ;  to  which  he 
answers — that  Christ,  the  first-born  of  God,  was  the  reason 
(Aoyos)  of  which  the  whole  human  race  participated ;  so  that 
all  who  lived  according  to  reason  {ii^ra.  Ao'yoi»)  were  Christians, 
even  though  they  were  reputed  to  be  atheists ;  for  instance, 
Socrates,  Heraclitus,  and  others,  amongst  the  Greeks;  Abraham, 
Ananias,  Azarias,  Misael,  Elias,  amongst  the  barbarians.^ 
While  on  the  contrary,  they  who  lived  contrary  to  reason  (avcv 
Xoyov)  were  bad  men  and  enemies  of  Christ ;  and,  as  Justin 
means  his  reader  to  infer,  equally  accountable  with  those  who 

1  Apol.  ii.  p.  48  B. 

2  p.  83  B  (56).  Compare  Aj)ol.  ii.  p.  4I  E.  y.'.ra,  Xiyov  op^aZ  [iioucriv, 
"they  live  by  the  aid  of  a  true  reason."  Christ  was  in  part  known  to 
Socrates.     A/io/.  ii.  p.  48  E. 

8  iv  fiaplidpoi;.  As  Justin  here  calls  Abr.iham,  etc.,  barbarians,  in  com- 
pliance with  the  prejudices  of  the  lieathens  whom  he  is  addressing,  may 
not  what  he  says  respecting  the  seed  of  the  word,  implanted  in  the 
breasts  of  all  men,  be  said  in  accommodation  to  the  same  prejudices, 
with  the  view  of  procuring  a  more  favoural)le  reception  for  the  doctrine 
of  the  Aoyos  ?  Le  Nourry  and  the  Benedictine  editors  have  taken  some 
pains  to  rescue  Justin  from  the  suspicion,  founded  on  this  passage,  that 
he  believed  that  the  Gentiles  could,  by  the  mere  light  of  reason,  attain 
to  eternal  salvation.  See  Casaubon,  Exercit.  ad  Baronii  Annales,  i.  i . 
In  Apol.  i.  p.  96  E  (81),  Justin  says  that  Abraham,  Isaac,  etc.,  were  the 
first  who  applied  themselves  to  the  study  of  divine  thing';. 


Writings  of  Justi^i  Martyr.  53 

lived  wickedly  after  Christ's  coming.  Whatever  right  opinions 
the  Gentile  philosophers  entertained  respecting  the  nature  of 
the  Deity,^  the  relation  in  which  man  stands  to  Him,  and  the 
duties  arising  out  of  that  relation,  were  to  be  ascribed  to  this 
seed  of  the  word  implanted  in  their  bosoms.  But  to  them 
was  given  only  a  small  portion  :  the  true  believer  in  Christ 
alone  possesses  its  fulness.^ 

As  it  was  the  Aoyos  who  suggested  to  the  Gentile  philo- 
sophers and  lawgivers  whatever  right  notions  they  possessed, 
so  was  it  also  the  Aoyos  who  inspired  the  ancient  prophets. 
We  have  already  cited  one  passage  to  this  effect  ;3  but  the 
same  statement  occurs  repeatedly  in  Justin's  writings, 

ov  yetf  [/.otov  "EXXjjiT/  S/a  'S&ixpa.Tou;  I'Xo  Xoyou  YiXiy^Uri  raura  (the  absur- 
dities of  the  Gentile  polytheism)  xXXa  «.ou  Iv  (iapfiapm;  l-g  ahrou  rov 
Xoyev  fcopipuhvTo;,  ko.)  avSpaj'jrou  yivof^ivov,  xa)  'iriffov  Xpitrrov  KXtiSivro;.  Apol. 
i.  p.  56  A  (7).  Here  an  opposition  seems  to  be  intended  between  K'oyoi 
and  a  Koyoi,  "  Reason  "  and  the  *'  Logos  ;"  but  it  is  not  observed  in  other 
passages.  S/a  to  t^^uTav  'Xtt.tri  y'ivu  avSpuvat  ff'jtipijua,  rod  X'cyou.  Apol.  ii. 
p.  40  C.  a<  ya,p  <rvyypa<pi7s  -pravTis  ^la  t?j  Ivoifftis  ifj,(puTou  tou  Xoyou  a-Ttopai 
a/ivopas  louvavro  opav  ra  ovrcc.  tnpov  yap  itri  tr-xipfia  rivo;  kki  /xififi/xa  Kara. 
'htDiafiiM  S«^£y"  Kai  'iripov  kvto  ou,  xccra  x^F"  "^^^  «'^'  ixi't^ov,  h  fjurouiria  xa.) 
fcif^nffiS  yiyvirm,  p.  51  D.  a^-o  f^'tpovs  rod  fffip/i/.arixou  hiau  Xoyou,  p.  51  C. 
chv  'Xc/.pa,  -Jraci  S'Tripi/^a.ra,  aXrihia;  loxti  iiyxi.  Apol.  i.  p.  82  A  (52).  As  the 
word  K'oyoi  in  Justin's  writings  is  used  in  three  different  senses,  for  the 
Reason  or  Word  of  God — the  second  Person  in  the  Trinity  ;  for  reason 
generally  ;  and  for  speech  or  the  word  spoken  ;  we  may  expect  to  find 
occasional  difficulty  in  determining  the  precise  sense  in  which  it  is  used. 
See  Casaubon,  ubi  supra. 

2  rovs  {l^h)  xara,  a-Tripi^arixoZ  Xoyou  /xipoi,  aXXa  xara,  rni  rou  vatro:  Xiyov, 
0  i<rri  Xpia-rod  {I.  Xpiirros),  yvu(nv  xa.)  ^lapiav.  Apol.  ii.  p.  46  C.  aVa  yap 
xaXui  au  \(^hy\aiTo  xa)  lupov  01  (ptXoii-o(pria-avri;  n  vofjLoiirna-avns,  xara,  Xiyov 
fiipos  ivpiiTtu;  xai  hapia;  iirr]  Tovn^ivra  avroT;.  IriiV/i  Ss  oh  vatra,  ra  rod  Xoyou 
tyyupiffav,  of  lirri  Xpiirro;,  xa)  havria  iauroTs  -TtoXXaxii  u-rov,  p.  48  C.  01 
viirriuovrti  avru  iitrtv  ccv^pwroi,  Iv  o'lg  o'ix$7  ro  -rapa  rou  Qiou  (T'ripfia,  0  Aoyos. 
Apol.  i.  p.  74  B  (41).  \v  o'ls  au  ^wdfiU  fiiv  -TTapia-ri,  xa)  hapyu;  Se  ^aiio-rai 
•»  tJ?  ^iuripn  abrou  -K-apovaia  (0  Xpiirros).      Dial .  p.  273  E. 

"  Apol.  ii.  p.  49  A,  quoted  in  note  6,  p.  47.     See  also  Apol.  i.  75  C  (43). 

♦Ti  b\  ouhiy)    eiXXai   6io<^opouvrai    ot    '7rpo(pr,Tivovri;,   it    fifi    Xoyai    ^li/u,  xa)    uuiif    u{ 


54  Some  Accoimt  of  the 

With  respect  to  the  third  Person  in  the  Trinity,  we  have  seen 
that  Justin  represents  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  as  an  object  of  worship.  The  distinct 
personahty  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  also  incidentally  asserted.^  It 
is,  however,  not  unworthy  of  observation  that  the  passages 
most  explicitly  declaring  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  are  found 
in  the  First  Apology^  not  in  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho  ;  in  which 
Justin's  principal  object  was  to  establish  the  pre-existence  and 
divinity  of  Christ.  When,  therefore,  he  alleges  the  passage  in 
Gen.  i,  26,  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image  after  our  like- 
ness," the  only  inference  which  he  draws  is,  that  the  Almighty 
then  addressed  Himself  to  some  distinct  rational  being.^  In 
Hke  manner,  in  alleging  Gen.  iii.  22,  "  Lo,  Adam  is  become 
as  one  of  us  to  know  good  and  evil,"  he  proceeds  no  further 
than  to  conclude  from  the  words  "  as  one  of  us,"  that  there 
were  two  persons  at  least  in  conference  with  each  other  ;  and 
he  afterwards  appKes  them  solely  to  the  Son.^  When  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  mentioned  in  the  Dialogue,  it  is  chiefly  with  reference 
to  the  inspiration  of  the  prophets,  or  to  His  operation  on  the 
hearts  of  men. 

But  though,  in  the  passages  above  quoted,  a  distinct  per- 
sonality is  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  find  others  in  which 
the  Spirit  and  the  Adyos  seem  to  be  confounded.     Thus,  in  allu- 

vvoXafifidvu,  (prtffiri.     P.  76  D  (45)-      j"^  "■'^    ccvtu-j  tmv  if/.'Ti'rvivo'fiiyuv  Xiyiir- 
fai  sofilrriTi,  aXX    avo  rov  xiveZyros  avTovs  hiov  Xoyou. 

1  xtti  a,vox,pi\iiTai  avToTs  to  ^tivf,i.a  to  ccyiov,  »  a^ro  •^I'poffuvou  tov  •jra.Tfo;.,  r\ 
a'To  rod  iSiou,  x.  r.  i.  Dial.  p.  255  C-  '^'^^  °'^'-  7^?  ''"'  ''■yo^  TviVf/.oc  x,x) 
ucpya;  ^pecrTiff^at  ri,  0  tu'ttos  rov  fiiXXavro;  -yiyri<rl!ai  «v,  ixo'ni'  iV^'  'in  St  xa) 
Xoyov;  iip^'iy^aro  "Tifi  rui  ocrofixDniv  fiiXXoyrat,  <phyyo//,i*or  avrovs  u;  ron 
yiyvofi'iyuv  »  xai  yiy%v/tfji.iyui,  p.  341  C.  x,a)  ro  ii-nTt  abroi  rpirot,  i'^noh,  a>l 
•rpoii^rofisy,  X'TTavu  rZi  liSaru)/  aviyva  uTto  Muriius  upyif^ivov  ivufipicSa.!  ro  rev 
©sou  w.u//.a.     Apol.  i.  p.  93  B  (72). 

2  Dial.  p.  285  D,  quoted  in  note  i,  p.  51. 

**  evuovv  UTTuv,  as  us  l|  'h/aav,  KOii  api^fiot  tmv  a,XXnXoii  avvovri.))),  xai  rt 
iXoc^iirrov  Sua,  fitfirivuKiv.       Dial.  p.  285  D. 


Writings  of  Jztstin  Martyr.  55 

sion  to  Luke  i.  35,  "  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee, 
and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee,"  Justin 
says,  "It  is  not  allowed  me  to  conceive  that  the  Spirit  and 
the  power  from  God  is  any  other  than  the  Word,  the  first- 
begotten  of  God."^  Grotius,  in  his  note  on  Mark  ii.  8,  says 
that  the  early  Fathers  frequently  used  the  word  Trvevfxa  to  signify 
the  divine  nature  in  Christ,  and  quotes  this  very  passage  from 
Justin  in  proof  of  the  statement ;  and  doubtless  the  word  may 
without  any  over-refinement  be  there  so  understood.  Perhaps, 
however,  the  idea  present  to  their  minds  was,  that  as,  in  the 
mystery  of  the  Incarnation,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  the 
Virgin,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  overshadowed  her,  and 
the  Aoyos  thereby  became  flesh,  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  power  of 
the  Highest,  and  the  Aoyos  were  the  same.  But  Justin  attri- 
butes the  inspiration  of  the  ancient  prophets  sometimes  to  the 
Ao'yos,  sometimes  to  the  Holy  Spirit.^  Here  it  is  difficult  to 
interpret  the  latter  of  the  divine  nature  in  Christ,  and  yet  the  two 

^  TO  '^vivf/i.a   euv   Kc)   Tti'   ovvafiiv   7"/iv   'TTxpa,   tou   0;«u  oudiv  aXXo   vonrtit  Sifjt,!;,  » 

Tov  Xoyov,  05  Ka]  ■TrpuroriiKis  tu  Qim  iffri.  Apol.  i.  p.  75  -^  (43)-  Compare 
this  passage  with  Dial.  p.  327  C.  The  ancients  were  very  fond  of  con- 
trasting Eve  with  the  Virgin  Mary.  As,  through  Eve,  a  virgin,  sin  was 
brought  into  the  world,  so,  through  Mary,  a  virgin,  has  its  power  been 
destroyed,  "ta  xa)  h'  ns  o^ou  h  i.'Tro  rod  0(^101;  vapaxoh  t»jv  a^;^;riv  'iXajii,  dia. 
ravrns  Ttjs  ohov  xa.)  xaraXvffiy  Xa.[i>i,  Trapi'iMOs  yap  ouira  Eila  xa)  aip^opos  tok 
Xoyov  Toy  a,'?ro  rou  etpius  ffuXXafiovira.,  vapaxovn  xou  ^o-vo-toii  irsxs,  x.  r,  i. 
"  For  in  the  same  way  that  disobedience  was  first  brought  into  the  world 
by  the  serpent,  so  also  it  was  destroyed  ;  for  Eve,  the  incorrupt  virgin,  con- 
ceiving the  word  from  the  serpent,  brought  forth  disobedience  and  death." 
Eve  conceived  the  word  from  the  serpent,  Mary  the  Word  from  God. 

^  See  note  6,  p.  47,  and  note  3,  p.  43.  xa.)  -xaXi-i  0  kIto;  ■rpoipnTtis 
'll(rata;,  ho(piipov/Mve;  t»  Ttiuficcri  ru  9rpt>(priTixaJ,  'iip'/i.  "  And  again  the  same 
prophet  Isaiah,  as  he  was  moved  by  the  prophetic  Spirit,  says."  P.  76  A 
(44).  For  the  Aiyo;,  see  Dial.  pp.  268  B,  C,  314  B,  C,  370  C.  For  the 
Holy  or  Prophetic  Spirit,  Dial.  pp.  242  C,  249  E,  271  D,  274  B,  275  C, 
277  B,  D,  284  A.  Apol.  i.  pp.  72  B  (38),  94  E  (77).  In  p.  243  C,  we 
find  xiyu  yap  0  Stos  lia  'Hircciou,  "For  God  says  by  Isaiah."  The  same 
Spirit  Who  inspired  the  prophets  also  anointed  the  Jewish  kings.  Dial. 
cp.  272  B,  313  C. 


56  Some  Account  of  the 

appear  to  be  identified.  I  know  no  other  mode  of  explaining 
this  fact  than  by  supposing  that,  as  the  Aoyos  was  the  con- 
ductor of  the  whole  gospel  economy,  Justin  deemed  it  a  matter 
of  indifference  whether  he  said  that  the  prophets  were  inspired 
by  the  Adyos,  or  by  the  Holy  Spirit  Who  was  the  immediate 
agent.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  called  in  Scripture  the  Spirit  of 
N       Christ.1 

Had  the  work  which  Justin  composed  in  confutation  of  the 
heretics  of  his  day  {Apol.  i.  p.  70  C  (36))  come  down  to  our 
hands,  we  should  probably  have  obtained  a  clearer  insight  into 
his  notions  on  these  abstruse  subjects.  As  it  is,  we  cannot 
doubt  that  he  maintained  a  real  Trinity ;  whether  he  would 
have  explained  it  precisely  according  to  the  Athanasian 
scheme  is  not  equally  clear ;  but  I  have  observed  nothing  in 
the  Apologies  or  in  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho  which  appears 
to  me  to  justify  a  positive  assertion  to  the  contrary.  Those 
passages  which  seem  to  imply  an  inferiority  in  Christ  to  the 
Father  may  without  any  forced  construction  be  understood  of 
the  part  borne  by  Christ  in  conducting  the  econom)^ 

In  the  first  chapter  ^  we  mentioned  that  Justin  accused  the 
Jews  of  having  erased  from  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  a 
passage  which  is  not  found  in  any  copy,  either  Greek 
or  Hebrew.     The  purport  of  the  passage  is   that  the  Lord 

'  Rom.  viii.  9  ;  Gal.  iv.  6  ;  Phil.  i.  19  ;  i  Pet.  i.  ii.  In  the  last  passage, 
the  immediate  reference  is  to  the  inspiration  of  the  prophets.  In  the 
following  passage  Justin  says  that  the  prophets  saw  visions :  b  Uirraire/. 
Tovroi  Se  auTOv  ovx.  b  rr  a'^0KieX6\pli  ahrov  iapaxii  o  'Trpotpnrni,  uffTfip  olm  Toy 
Sj«/3oX»v  xoii  rh  rou  Kvpiou  ayyiXot  oLx.  alTO-^ta,  b  KaraffTOLffii  av  nupaKit, 
aXX'  b  IxfTaa-ii  a-roKaXv'^ia;  cthrof  yiyivtif/.ivns.  "  In  a  trance.  For  the 
prophet  saw  Him  not  in  revelation,  even  as  he  did  not  see  the  devil  nor 
the  angel  of  God  with  his  own  eyes  in  person,  but  being  taken  out  of 
himself,  as  it  were,  he  saw  Him  in  a  vision."     Dial.  p.  343  A. 

'^  P.  33,  note  5.  Observe  the  expression  b  alou  /n-ivuv,  "  to  remain  in 
Hades,"  p.  326  C. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  57 

God  remembered  the  dead  among  the  Israelites  who  were 
His,  and  descended  to  preach  His  salvation  to  them.  Here 
we  have  an  approach  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  descent  into 
hell. 


CHAPTER   III. 

Justin's  opinions  respecting  original  sin,  the  freedom 
of  the  will,  grace,  justification,  predestination. 

Man,  according  to  Justin,  was  created  an  intelligent  and 
rational  being,  capable  of  choosing  the  truth,  and  securing 
his  own  happiness,  and  consequently  capable  of  transgression  :^ 
for  this  is  the  property  of  everything  created  that  it  is  capable 
of  virtue  and  vice ;  ^  and  on  this  capacity  of  choosing  good 
and  evil  Justin  rests  the  accountableness  of  men  and  angels.^ 
What  were  Justin's  opinions  respecting  the  change  made  by 

'  kk)  Triy  oipp(^hv  voipoy  ko)  Si/va^svav  cc'iptTir^ai  TaX»^>if,  xc)  tv  ■^fdrrsiv,  to 
lyivos  TO  av^pai'Tivoy  TTiToirixiv,  uiar  avecToXoyfirov  nvai  To'i  -praffiv  avSpwrois 
<xa.pa,  rZ  %iZ'  Xoyixo)  yap  xai  hupnTiKo)  yiyivnTai.  Apol.  i.  p.  ']\  B  (37)- 
In  Dial.  p.  259  A,  the  body  of  Adam  is  said  to  have  been  made  the 
habitation  of  the  inspiration  from  God  :  roii  if/.(pv(rriiJ,a.Tos  mv  •yra.pa  mu  Qtou. 
See  also  p.  316  A.  aXX  u;  ly'iytcaiTKi  kkXov  sivai  yivKr^ai,  froiniriv  acvri^ouiTiovi 
•jTpo;  ^ixaio'Tpa.yioif  xa)  ayyiXov;  xa.)  avSpcuvov?,  xa)  p^povovs  upiffi  fja^pii  ou 
iyiyjuffxi  xaXov  iTvai  to  ahn^ovffiov  'i^iiv  ahrou;'  xat  on  (f.  ots)  xciXoy  iivai 
if/.oia;  iyvMpit^i,  xoti  xoc^oXixx;  xa)  fitpixas  xpiffn;  i-^onif  ■xs(pvXay/iiivov  fiivToi 
rod  ahn^ouiTiov,  p.  329  A. 

^  yivvriTsu  ?£  -^avTo;  'Ji'^i  ri  ipu(ri;,  xaxiai  xa)  apirns  'hixrixov  iTnai,  x.  t.  i. 
Apol.  ii.  p.  45  E. 

'  TO  S'  \\ct,xoXovf!\iiat  ols  (p'lXov  avTcji,  aipovfcivovs  01  ut  stuTo;  ldapr,<rxTo  Xoyixu-j 
"hutafiluv,    ^iihi    T£    xa)    t'l;    Viffriv    ayii   hy.as.      Apol.    i.   p.   58  C  (l3)-       Here 

we  have  something  like  preventing  grace,  xcu  2/  iavrovs  nfitT;  o\  ai^pwroi, 
xa)  01  ayyiXoi,  iXiyp(^6n(r'ofAi6ei  vovnpivirdfiivoi,  lav  uri  (p^dfavTij  uiTai'uuiia 
Dial.  p.  370  C. 


58  Some  Account  of  the 

the  fall  in  man's  condition,  with  reference  to  this  capacity  of 
choosing  good  and  evil,  does  not  clearly  appear.  He  speaks 
of  a  concupiscence  existing  in  every  man,  evil  in  all  its 
tendencies,  and  various  in  its  nature ;  ^  and  on  one  occasion 
seems  to  distinguish  between  original  and  actual  sin.^  He  says 
also  that  man,  being  born  the  child  of  necessity  and  ignorance, 
becomes  by  baptism  the  child  of  choice  and  knowledge ;  but 
the  necessity  and  ignorance  in  which  man  is  said  to  be  born 
are  not  referred  to  the  transgression  of  Adam.^ 

From  the  indistinctness  of  Justin's  language  respecting  the 
effects  of  the  fall  on  the  posterity  ot  Adam,  we  may  expect 
to  find  an  equal  indistinctness  on  the  subject  of  grace.  He 
insists,  however,  repeatedly  that  man  stands  in  need  of 
illumination  from  above,  in  order  to  be  enabled  rightly  to 
understand  the  sacred  Scriptures ;  *  and  we  find  something 
resembling  converting  grace  in  Dial.  p.  344  A. 

ffUfj.f/.a^ov  Xafi'tDiris  rhv  iv  iKaffrm  xaxhy  vpoi  ^dvra  ko)  'roixiXti*  (piffii 
iTi^vu-iav.     Apol.  i.  p.  58  E  (13). 

xai  vXamni  rnn  rev  o<fius  I'TTi'TruKU,  ^apd  <rriv  iViav  aiTiav  iKacrov  at/ruy 
■z-ovtiptvg'afiiifov.     Dial.  p.  316  A. 

i'Tlidri  Tfiy  'X'puTYiv  yiyiffiy  Vfi-uy  dyroovyri;  kclt'  avdyK^y  yiytvy^fitfa  i^ 
vypas  ffvopaf  xotra,  fil^iy  rriy  ray  yayiuy  vpos  aXXnXovi,  xa)  h  'i6i<ri  tpauXois 
Kcii  iroyrtpali  kyarpo^ali  yiyoyafAiy,  o'Xias  f/.n  dvdyxiis  rixva  /nijTt  ayyoia;  //.ivai- 
fiiv,  iXXd  •rpoatpiiTiut  xai  'fprii7^T^fji.ris,  x.  r.  i.  Apol.  i.  p.  94  C  (76).  The 
opposition  between  the  first  and  second  birth  in  this  passage  implies  that 
the  baptized  person  is  an  adult.  In  Dial.  p.  353  E,  Justin  says  that 
Adam,  by  his  transgression,  brought  death  upon  himself;  but  Christians, 
if  they  keep  God's  commandments,  can  attain  to  a  state  of  exemption 
from  suffering  and  of  immortality,  and  are  thought  worthy  to  be  called 
the  sons  of  God. 

*  Dial.  pp.  247  A,  250  C.  ovh\  ydp  iuvixf/.i;  \f/.o)  ToiaCrn  ris  'utt'iv,  aXXa. 
X^'P't  "foopa  BioZ  f/.ovn  lis  TO  ffvviivai  ras  ypaifas  alrov  id'oSri  jj.oi'  ns  ^dpiTos 
xa)  •rd.y'Ta.i  xaivuvous  a.[/.iffSur)  xx)  aip^ivus  "XapaxaXu  y'lyyiffSat,  pp.  280  B, 
305  A.  ii  cvy  Ttt  fih  fiiTU  ftiyaXvis  ^dpiTos  tTis  'X'a.pa  Qiou  Xdfioi  y/irio-ai  ra 
ilpttft'iya,  xai  y(ytynfit.iva  u-ro  ruy  'rpo(priTay,  ouoiv  ahroy  ovriffn  ro  ra;  pnffus 
'isxi7t  xiytiy,  pp.    319  B,   326  E,  346  E.     The  inability  of  the  Jews  to 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  59 

On  the  subject  of  justification,  Justin  is  sufficiently  clear  and 
explicit.  He  uniformly  assigns  the  merits  or  death  of  Christ 
as  the  cause,  and  faith  as  the  medium  by  which  we  are  justified. 
By  Christ's  stripes  we  are  healed  ;  ^  by  His  stripes  all  are  healed 
who  approach  the  Father  through  Him ;  ^  by  His  blood  all 
who  believe  on  Him  are  purified  ;2  the  Father  willed  that  He 
should  bear  for  the  whole  human  race  the  curses  due  to  all ;  * 
He  endured  the  servitude  even  of  the  cross  in  behalf  of  the 
various  races  of  men,  having  purchased  them  by  His  blood 
and  the  mystery  of  the  cross.^  The  names  of  Helper  and 
Redeemer  are  applied  to  Christ,  though  with  an  immediate 
reference  to  the  power  of  casting  out  demons  in  His  name.^ 
With  respect  to  the  medium  of  justification,  it  is  asserted  that 
men  are  purified  by  faith  through  the  blood  and  death  of 
Christ  3  "^  and  that  Abraham  was  not  justified  by  circumcision, 
but  by  faith.^    In  order,  however,  to  secure  the  benefits  arising 

understand  the  Scriptures  was  the  effect  of  a  judicial  blindness  inflicted 
on  them  by  God,  p.  274  E.     Compare  p.  287  E. 

^  finSi  vXivaZ^nTi  aurou  rous  fnuXufTrxs,  oli  ia^?ivai  vairi  duvarov,  us  xa)  rif/,iis 
lahf^iy.     Dial.  p.  366  D.     See  also  p.  323  B. 

^  Si'   ou   <rS>  /^aXuTU*  laffi;    yiyvtrxi    riT;    ^i    aorou  isr/   to»   'ranpa   Tpof^eo- 

fovfu.     Dial.  p.  234  A. 

*  •x'poayyiX'nxii  JT'  tou  ■Xa.hvi  cZ  '7ra.(TX,%it  ifjt.tXXi,  li'  ct'lfiaTos  xa^aifuv  rohs 
VKmuoirm.;  avi-u.  Apol.  i.  74  A  (41).  Dial.  pp.  259  A,  273  E,  338  D. 
S<'  avrui  vaSo-jra  X'cyov,  p.  33^  "• 

*  II  ov*  xai  rev  laurou  Xpiffrey  ii'X'ip  tcov  ik  •^kvto;  yivovs  a.tdfci'Xui  0  ■rarnf 
tZ?  oXuy  ra;  iratruy  xccrapas  «va3i|air^a/  l/3ouX>)V>).  Dial.  p.  322  E. 
Observe  the  whole  passage. 

*  '^euy.ivti  xai  rrii  ft'iXP'  f'^o^vpod  iouXiiccv  i  Xpiirros  vTip  ruv  Ix  TKvros 
y'ivovs  vrotxiXuv  xai  ■ToXviiScof  iv^pu^uf,  2i  a'1/.iaros  xcti  fiuffTzpiov  tou  rraupou 
xTriffcifi%yo(  auravi.      Dial.  p.   364  I-^- 

*  fio'A^oy  '^a.p  ixilyoi  xa)  Xvrparni  xaXouyAy ,  ou  xa)  rhv  rou  ivofiaroi  'nr^"^ 
xai  ra.  iai/.t,oyia  Tps//,u  x.  r.   t.      Dial.  p.  247  C. 

'  xai  fitiKiTi  alficetn  rpuyuy  xou  •jrpopio.rav,  n  o'Toocu  axficcXia;,  n  infiiiaXius 
vrpoff^opccli  »affafi^o/iciyous,  aXXa  •jr'iffru  S/a  tou  a'lf/.aros  rou  Xpitrrov  xai  tov 
(ayarou  aiirou,  h  5ia  tovto  a-riSaviy.  Dial.  p.  229  E.  alfjiari  trwrnp'ita 
iri-JTiffriixafiiy,  pp.  24I  E,  259  A,  273  E,  338  D. 

*  xa)    yu-i>    avTOS  0  'Afipaafi,    iv   axpofivffria    uv,  liu,    ttjv    vnrriv  »iv  i'TiffTSVfi  r.y 


6o  Some  Acco^int  of  the 

from  Christ's  death,  repentance  and  a  renunciation  of  our  past 
evil  habits  are  necessary.^  It  has  been  already  observed  that 
Justin,  in  interpreting  Gen.  xlix.  ii,  says  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
calls  those  who  have  received  remission  of  sins  through  Christ 
His  garments.2  We  may  not  find  in  Justin  those  nice  and 
subtle  distinctions  which  controversy  subsequently  introduced 
into  the  question  of  justification ;  but  the  substance  of  the 
true  doctrine  is  there — that  man  is  justified  on  account  of  the 
merits  of  Christ  through  faith,  of  which  faith  a  holy  life  is  the 
fruit. 

We  have  seen  that  Justin  maintained  such  a  degree  of 
freedom  in  men  as  rendered  them  accountable  for  their  actions. 
When,  however,  he  is  urging  the  argument  from  prophecy  in 
the  First  Apology^  an  objection  of  this  kind  seems  to  have 
occurred  to  him — that  events,  in  order  to  be  predicted,  must 
be  foreknown — that  what  is  foreknown  must  be  irreversibly 
fixed — and  consequently,  that  whatever  happens,  happens  by 
a  fatal  necessity ;  men  have  nothing  in  their  own  power,  and 
are  not  accountable  for  their  conduct.  In  reply  to  this  objec- 
tion, and  in  order  to  show  that  men  act  well  and  ill  by  their 
own  free  choice,  Justin  argues  thus : — "  We  see  that  the  con- 
duct of  the  same  man  is  various  at  different  times ;  is  sometimes 

e-M  ihiKaiuSn.  Dial.  pp.  241  C,  319  E.  Apol.  i.  p.  60  D  (17).  In  p. 
327  E,  Justin  says  that  the  Fathers  who  hoped  in  God  confessed  Christ, 
S>)X&n-(xa  lati  Tou  Koi  -TTarifia,;  ahrov  of^oXoyiiv  rohs  IX'riffa.vra;  i'jr)  toi  0£av. 

'  a.va.XXaynv  ii  tou  6a,va,Tou  ToTs  fitTayi'yvdffxovinv  afo  ruy  (pavXav  xa.) 
TirTiuovfrn  tls  aurov  Ipyd^iTai.  DtcU.  p.  327  E.  rouro  Se  limy  as,  ficra- 
vor,<ra;  l^r]  ToTg  a,f4,a.pTi^//,Kiri,  run  a.f/.a.p'rnfji.a.raiv  •prapa  rou  Qiou  Xajin  citpitriv'  iXX' 
ou^  us  vfjiiis  a.-7ta.~a,r's,  ixvrovs,  xa.)  aXXoi  rivis  vfilv  of^oioi  xara,  rouro,  0° 
X'iyovftv  oV/  xav  a.fj.oi.pruXo'i  oiffi,  @sov  dl  yiyvaio'xaxriv,  oh  fih  Xoyiirrirai  auroTs 
Kvpios  a//,apriciv,  p.  370  D.  See  also  pp.  267  A  and  259  D,  where  Christ 
is  said  to  have  been  an  offering  for  all  sinners  who  would  repent  and  live 
righteously. 

^  Dial.  p.  273  E,  quoted  in  p.  25,  note  2.  A  nearly  similar  thouglit 
occurs  in  p.  344  B. 

*  P.  80  D  (51).     Compare  Tucker,  LigAl  of  Nature,  vol.  iv.  p.  282, 


Writings  of  /us tin  Martyr.  6 1 

good,  sometimes  bad ;  but  this  could  not  be  the  case  if  his 
character  was  fixed  by  a  fatal  necessity — if  it  was  fated  that 
he  should  be  either  good  or  bad.  Nor  would  some  men  be 
good,  and  some  bad,  since  in  that  case  we  should  represent 
fate  as  at  variance  with  itself,  or  place  no  distinction  between 
virtue  and  vice,  making  them  dependent  only  on  opinion. 
This  only  is  irreversibly  fated,  that  they  who  choose  what  is 
good  shall  be  rewarded ;  they  who  choose  what  is  evil,  punished. 
For  man  cannot  be  a  fit  object  either  of  reward  or  punish- 
ment, if  he  is  virtuous  or  wicked,  not  by  choice,  but  by  birth." 
In  another  place,  he  says  that  events  are  foretold,  not  because 
they  happen  from  a  fatal  necessity,  but  because  God  foreknows 
what  man  will  do.^  He  brings  forward  a  cavil  of  the  Jews, 
either  real  or  supposed,  to  this  effect,  that  if  it  was  foretold 
that  Christ  should  die  on  the  cross,  and  that  they  who  caused 
His  death  should  be  Jews,  the  event  could  not  fall  out  other- 
wise.2  To  this  he  replies  that  God  is  not  the  cause  that  men, 
of  whom  it  is  predicted  that  they  shall  be  wicked,  prove 
wicked;  but  they  are  themselves  the  cause;  and  if  the 
Scripture  foretells  the  punishment  of  certain  angels  and  men, 
it  is  because  God  foreknows  that  they  will  be  unchangeably 
wicked,  not  because  He  has  made  them  so.  He  illustrates  his 
meaning  by  a  reference  to  the  prediction  that  the  Messiah 
should  enter  Jerusalem  seated  on  an  ass.^  That  prediction,  he 
says,  did  not  cause  Him  to  be  the  Messiah,  but  pointed  out  to 
mankind  a  mark  by  which  they  might  know  that  He  was  the 
Messiah.  In  all  these  passages  there  is  no  mention  of  pre- 
destination :  God  foreknows  events,  but  does  not  preordain 
them.*  He  acts,  however,  or  rather  forbears  to  act,  in  con- 
sequence of  this  foreknowledge :  for  instance.  He  defers  the 

1  P.  82  A  (52).     See  Dial.  p.  234  B.  ^  j^j^i^  p_  ^70  A. 

^  Dial.  p.  316  A. 

*  On  one  occasion  Justin  says  that  through  Clirist  we  are  called  to  a 

salvation  prepared  beforehand   by   the  Father,  S;'  ou  \KXr,inf/.iy  il;  a-urripiav 

rhv  'TpoyiTOiu.atryAvri'j  •ra.^ri.  rod  crt/.rpo;  '/j/xav.       Dial    p.  360  D. 


62  Some  Accotmt  of  the 

punishment  of  the  devil  and  his  angels  out  of  consideration 
to  the  human  race,  because  He  foreknows  that  many,  now 
living  or  yet  unborn,  will  repent  and  be  saved ;  and  He  will  not 
therefore  bring  on  the  consummation  of  all  things,  until  the 
number  of  those  foreknown  to  be  good  and  virtuous  shall  be 
accomplished.^  It  should  be  observed  that  these  remarks  are 
for  the  most  part  introduced  incidentally,  and  ought  not  there- 
fore to  be  construed  too  strictly.  If  Justin  held  the  doctrine 
of  predestination  at  all,  it  must  have  been  in  the  Arminian 
sense — ex  prcevisis  meritis.^ 

On  the  subject  of  the  Divine  Providence,  Justin  held  that 
it  was  not  merely  general,  but  exended  to  particular  men  and 
events.  For,  speaking  of  the  philosophers,  he  says  that  the 
greater  part  of  them  never  bestowed  a  thought  on  the  inquiry, 
whether  there  was  one  God  or  many ;  and  whether  the  Divine 
Providence  extended  to  each  individual  or  not,  conceiving  that 
such  knowledge  contributed  nothing  towards  happiness.^    Nay, 

^  Apol.  i.  p.  7"  B  (37)"  **'  y'"'?  ^  t'^T/^avJi  Tov  ^n^'ifto)  Tovro  Tpa^ai  riv  &iov 
S/a  TO  iv^pai'ivov  yi\ioi  yiyivnrai.  Tpayiyvairxii  yap  riva;  Ik  (/.iravo'ias  ffutSfiffiirSai 
/LciXXavra;,  x,ai  tivks  ftn^i'jtu  "ffai;  yivvti^ivras.  See  also  p.  82  D  (55)"  **' 
ffuvTiXiffS^  0  apd/jio;  ruv  ^rpaiyvuitr/zivav  uvtm  uyaSuv  yiyvo/iiv&iv  xa)  ivapira/v,  di' 
aus  Koi  f/.tiYi'Tai  rhv  i-rixvpeuinv  vrivoitirai.  See  also  Apol.  ii.  p.  45  B  ;  Dial.  p. 
258  A.  In  pp.  261  B  and  297  A,  Justin  speaks  of  those  who  are  fore- 
known to  believe  in  Christ,  and  to  exercise  themselves  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord ;  and  in  p.  346  C,  he  says  that  the  wonderful  providence  of  God 
was  the  cause  that  the  Christians  were  found  wiser  and  more  pious  than 
the  Jews,  through  the  calling  of  the  new  and  eternal  covenant.  See  also 
p.    364   C,    xocTcc    Ji    T»)v   ra^iv   xa)   xara,   rriv  TpoyvMiriv,    orroTm    ixaffro;   icrrai, 

^poxixtxrai,  where  the  allusion  is  to  Jacob's  prediction  respecting  the 
character  and  fortune  of  his  sons  and  their  posterity. 

2  See  Dial,  pp.  319  E,  370  C,  234  B. 

3  P.  217  E.     The  concluding  words  of  this  sentence  are  perhaps  corrupt, 

certainly  obscure, — l^U    olV    at    ■nhy^'oi/.'Ja,   uutZ  S/'  o'X>?j  vuxto;  xa)  rifispas.       I 

follow  the  translation  in  Thirlby's  edition ;  the  Benedictines  translate, 
"  neque  fore  ut  eum  tota  nocte  ac  die  precaremur,"  which  is  ambiguous. 
Justin  uses  the  expression  'Sioixntriv  rod  xoff//.ou  with  reference  to  the  divine 


Writings  of  Justin  Marty  7'.  63 

he  adds,  "  they  endeavour  to  persuade  us  that  God  watches 
over  the  universe,  and  genera  and  species,  but  not  over  me 
and  you  and  each  individual ;  since,  if  He  did,  we  should  not 
pray  to  Him  day  and  night."  Justin's  view  of  the  subject  is 
agreeable  to  the  language  of  Scripture  and  to  the  dictates  of 
common  sense  ;  for  a  providence  like  that  above  described 
is  evidently  no  providence  at  all,  or  at  least  can  furnish  no 
ground  of  love  towards  God — no  motive  to  devotion.  I  do 
not  think  that  this  account  of  Justin's  opinion  is  at  variance 
with  the  fact  that  in  another  passage,  to  which  I  shall  here- 
after have  occasion  to  refer,  he  says  that  God  entrusted  the 
care  of  the  world  to  the  angels. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Justin's  opinions  respecting  baptism  and  the  eucharist, 

WITH   A   particular    REFERENCE   TO    A    PASSAGE    IN    THE 
FIRST   APOLOGY. 

In  the  First  Apology,  p.  93  E  (73),  Justin  tells  the  Emperors 
that  he  will  detail  to  them  the  mode  in  which  the  Christian 
converts,  being  renewed  through  Christ,  dedicate  themselves  to 
God.  "  As  many,"  he  says,  **  as  are  persuaded,  and  believe 
that  what  we  teach  is  true,  and  undertake  to  conform  their 
lives  to  our  doctrine,  are  instructed  to  fast  and  pray,  and 
entreat  from  God  the  remission  of  their  past  sins,  we  fasting 
and  praying  together  with  them.  They  are  then  conducted 
by  us  to  a  place  where  there  is  water,  and  are  regenerated  in 
the  same  manner  in  which  we  were  ourselves  regenerated. 

governance,  p.  246  E.  In  p.  91  D  (70),  ev  rjjSs  t?  ltoixn<ru  f^eems  to  be 
equivalent  to  in  this  world. 


64  Some  Account  of  the 

For  they  are  then  washed  in  the  name  of  God  the  Father 
and  Lord  of  the  universe,  and  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  Justin  then  alleges  in  proof  of  the 
necessity  of  this  regeneration,  John  iii.  3,  and  Isa.  i.  16,^  which 
he  supposes  to  have  been  prophetic  of  Christian  baptism ; 
and  states  that  the  apostles  had  transmitted  both  the  mode 
of  performing  the  rite  and  the  reason  on  which  the  necessity 
for  its  observance  rested.  "  Since,"  he  says,  "  at  our  first 
birth  we  were  born  without  our  knowledge  or  consent — in 
order  that  we  may  not  remain  the  children  of  necessity  and 
ignorance,  but  may  become  the  children  of  choice  and  know- 
ledge, and  may  obtain  in  the  water  remission  of  the  sins  which 
we  have  committed,  the  name  of  God  the  Father  and  Lord 
of  the  universe  is  pronounced  over  him  who  wishes  to  be 
regenerated,  and  has  repented  of  his  sins,"  etc.^  Justin  then 
runs  off,  as  is  his  custom,  into  a  long  digression  respecting 
the  washings  and  other  ceremonies  introduced  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  the  demons  into  the  religious  worship  of  the  Gentiles, 
in  imitation  either  of  what  was  actually  enjoined  in  the  Mosaic 
law,  or  was  foretold  by  the  prophets  as  afterwards  to  take 
place  under  the  Christian  dispensation.^  He  proceeds  to 
animadvert  on  the  blindness  of  the  Jews,  who  maintained  that 
it  was  the  Father,  not  the  Son,  Who  conversed  with  Moses 
and  the  patriarchs ;  thereby  showing  that  they  knew  neither 

^  This  passage  is  again  referred  to  in  p.  81  D  (52)  and  Dial.  p.  229  E, 
where,  in  the  words  ccXXa,  ui  ukos,  -rccKai  rov-ro  ikmo  tI  ffcdrripioi/  Xotirpon 
yv,  S  EiVsTo  ToTs  /xtra.yiyvaffxovo'i,  "  But  as  was  fitting  that  was  that 
ancient  saving  washing  which  follows  those  who  repent,"  there  appears 
to  be  an  allusion  to  i  Cor.  x.  4.  The  Benedictine  editors,  for  u-rtro,  read 
j?3-£,  TO.     Compare  pp.  235  E,  342  B,  369  C.     See  also  pp.  263  C,  231  C. 

*  The  passage  is  quoted  in  p.  58,  note  3. 

*  Justin  observes  that  the  name  ipuTia-fj-os,  "illumination,"  was  given  to 
baptism  :  xaXiTTCn  o\  rouro  TO  XovTfiov  tpaiTirfios,  a;  (piA>ri%of/.iMuv  tjiv  oidvoiav 
rZv  TOiura  fictv^avovruv,  "This  baptism  is  called  illumination  because  the 
minds  of  the  catechumens  who  are  thus  washed  are  illuminated,"  p.  94 
D  (76).  (puTil^ofA.ivoi  ^la  rov  WofjLarot  <ri>u  Xpi/rrou  toutov,  "  Being  illuminated 
by  the  name  of  this  Christ."     Dm/,  pp.  258  A,  3151  A. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  65 

the  Father  nor  the  Son.  Returning  at  length  to  the  mode  of 
initiating  the  new  convert,  he  says,^  "  After  we  have  thus  washed 
ht7n  who  has  expressed  his  conviction,  and  assented  to  our 
doctrines,  we  take  him  to  the  place  where  those  who  are  called 
brethren  are  assembled,  in  order  that  we  may  offer  up  earnest 
prayers  in  common  for  ourselves  and  for  the  baptized  person, 
and  for  all  others  in  every  place,  that,  having  learned  the  truth, 
we  may  be  deemed  worthy  to  be  found  walking  in  good  works, 
and  keeping  the  commandments,  so  that  we  may  attain  to 
eternal  salvation.  Having  ended  our  prayers,  we  salute  each 
other  with  a  kiss.  Bread  is  then  brought  to  that  brother  who 
presides,  and  a  cup  of  wine  mixed  with  water;  and  he,  taking 
them,  gives  praise  and  glory  to  the  Father  of  the  universe 
through  the  name  of  the  Son.  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and 
employs  some  time  in  offering  up  thanks  to  Him  for  having 
deemed  us  worthy  of  these  gifts.  The  prayers  and  thanks- 
givings being  ended,  all  the  people  present^  express  their  assent 
by  saying  Amen,  which,  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  answers  to 
yevoLTo  in  the  Greek.  The  president  having  given  thanks, 
and  the  people  having  expressed  their  assent,  they  who  are 
called  among  us  deacons  give  to  each  of  those  present  a  por- 
tion of  the  bread  and  of  the  wine  mixed  with  water,  over  which 
the  thanksgiving  was  pronounced,  and  carry  away  a  portion 
to  those  who  are  absent.  And  this  food  is  called  among  us 
eixapicTTta ;  of  which  no  one  is  allowed  to  partake  who  does 
not  believe  that  what  we  teach  is  true,  and  has  not  been 
washed  with  the  laver  (of  baptism)  for  the  remission  of  sins 
and  unto  regeneration,  and  does  not  live  as  Christ  has  enjoined. 
For  we  do  not  receive  it  as  common  bread  and  common  drink ; 
but  in  the  same  manner  as  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  being 
made  flesh  through  the  Word  of  God,  had  both  flesh  and 
blood  for  our  salvation  ;  ^  so  we  are  also  taught  that  the  food 

^  P.  97  B  (82).  2  Ta;  0  cra^^v  Xa'o?. 

'  It  is  not  easy  to  ascertain  precisely  what  Justin  meant  in  this  passage, 
which  runs  thus  in  the  original :  axx'  «V  rf'oxaii  ?/a  x'oyov  ©sou  tra-fx^Toin^tii 

E 


66  Some  Account  of  the 

over  which  thanksgiving  has  been  pronounced  by  the  prayer 
of  the  Word  which  came  from  Him,  by  which  food,  under- 
going the  necessary  change,  our  flesh  and  blood  are  nourished, 
we  are  taught,  I  say,  that  this  food  is  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
the  incarnate  Jesus.  For  the  apostles,  in  the  memoirs  com- 
posed by  them,  which  are  called  Gospels,  have  declared  that 
Jesus  gave  them  this  injunction,  that  having  taken  bread  and 
given  thanks,  He  said,  *  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me,  this 
is  My  body ; '  and  that,  in  like  manner,  having  taken  the  cup 
and  given  thanks.  He  said,  '  This  is  My  blood ; '  and  that  He 
distributed  the  bread  and  wine  to  them  alone."  Justin  adds, 
that  through  the  suggestion  of  wicked  demons,  bread  and 
wine  were  placed  before  the  persons  to  be  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  Mithras,  in  imitation  of  the  Eucharist. 

He  then  proceeds  to  give  an  account  of  the  meetings  of  the 
Christians  on  the  Lord's  day.  **  Afterwards,"  he  says,  "  we 
remind  each  other  of  these  things,  and  they  who  are  wealthy 
assist  those  who  are  in  need,  and  we  are  always  together ;  and 
over  all  our  offerings  we  bless  the  Creator  of  all  things,  through 

XncoZi  Xpia'Tos  6  ffairrif  ti/z-av  xa)  rapKa  xai  ccifist  vrip  furnpia.;  nfiuv  tff^iy, 
auras  Koi  T»|y  ii  th^rii  Xoyav  tov  "Tap'  ahrtZ  ilp^apifrn^tlfai  T^o^Jjy,  Vc,  rit  ajfit.a 
xa)  irapxis  xara,  //.tralioXhf  rpifovTai  ttftcay,  iKiinav  rov  vapxeTeinftyTas  Irtfov  xoc) 
ffapxa,  xa.)  a'ife,x  %iiia.p^6nf'i'»  iiyai,  p.  98  A  (89)-  The  Commentators  in 
general  understand  the  words  S/a  x'oyov  Biov,  "  through  the  Word  of  God," 
of  the  Aoyof,  or  Word  of  God,  and  5/  ivx^s  \iyov  tou  ira/>'  a.hroZ,  "  by  the 
prayer  of  the  Word  which  came  from  Him,"  of  the  prayer  or  blessing 
pronounced  by  Christ  at  the  time  of  instituting  the  Eucharist.  (We  find 
X'oyM  luxrit  xa.]  liixapiffTia;,  "by  the  rational  service  of  prayers  and 
praises,"  p.  60  C  (16).  In  p.  88  €(65),  rov  •rapa  rov  «s«u  koyov,  "the 
Word  of  God,"  and  in  Diai.  p.  328  E,  tov  -^rap'  avmu  xiyov,  "  the  word 
from  Him,"  mean  the  word  which  the  prophets  and  Christ  were  com- 
missioned to  deliver  from  God.)  Yet  the  expression,  "Jesus  Christ  made 
flesh  through  the  Word  of  God,"  has  a  strange  sound.  We  should  rather 
expect  to  find  it  said  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  Word  made  flesh,  »'  Aoyoj 
rapxofoir^h);,  as  in  p.  74  B  (41).  See  Dial.  pp.  264  A,  310  B,  326  E.  In  p. 
83  D  (57),  however,  it  is  said  that  Christ  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Sia  Si/vw.«£wf 


Writings  of  Jtisiin  Martyr.  67 

His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  through  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  on 
the  day  called  Sunday  there  is  an  assembling  together  of  all 
who  dwell  in  the  cities  or  country ;  and  the  memoirs  of  the 
apostles  or  the  writings  of  the  prophets  are  read  as  long  as 
circumstances  permit.  Then,  when  the  reader  has  ceased, 
the  president  delivers  a  discourse,  in  which  he  admonishes 
and  exhorts  (all  present)  to  the  imitation  of  these  good  things. 
Then  we  all  rise  together  and  pray ;  and,  as  we  before  said, 
prayer  being  ended,  bread  and  wine  and  water  are  brought, 
and  the  president  offers  prayers  in  like  manner,  and  thanks- 
givings, with  his  utmost  power  ;  ^  and  the  people  express  their 
assent  by  saying  Amen  ;  and  the  distribution  of  that  over 
which  the  thanksgiving  has  been  pronounced  takes  place  to 
each,  and  each  partakes,  and  a  portion  is  sent  to  the  absent 
by  the  deacons.  And  they  who  are  wealthy,  and  choose, 
give  as  much  as  they  respectively  deem  fit ;  and  whatever  is 
collected  is  deposited  with  the  president,  who  succours  the 
orphans  and  widows,  and  those  who  through  sickness  or  any 
other  cause  are  in  want,  and  those  who  are  in  bonds,  and  the 

rov  Xoyav,  "  by  the  power  of  the  Word;"  (J/a  Iwif/.ius  BiotJ,  "  by  the  power 
of  God,"  p.  74  D  (42)).  See  p.  49,  note  2.  Compare  p.  61  D  (19),  Syva^;,- 
eiov  i  Aiyo;  alrou  r,v,  "  the  power  of  God  was  His  Logos,"  p.  75  B  (43), 
TO  -rytdfia  DUX  kou  t»)v  dvtafiiy  rnv  •mpa  Tou  Blou  auSsv  aXXo  vonffai  6iy-i;,  n 
T«v  yiyav,  "By  the  Spirit  and  power  of  God  we  ought  to  understand  the 
very  Logos."  Justin  may  therefore  in  like  manner  have  said  that  Christ 
was  made  flesh  through  the  Word  of  God.  As  it  appears  to  me,  Justin 
in  this  passage  does  not  intend  to  compare  the  manner  in  which  Jesus 
Christ,  being  made  flesh  by  the  Word  of  God,  had  flesh  and  blood  for  our 
sake,  with  that  in  which  the  bread  and  wine,  over  which  the  thanksgiving 
appointed  by  Christ  has  been  pronounced,  l)ecome  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ ;  but  only  to  say  that,  as  Christians  were  taught  that  Christ  had 
flesh  and  blood,  so  were  they  also  taught  that  the  bread  and  wine  in  the 
Eucharist  are  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  av  T^ofr-ov  is  merely  equivalent 
to  as. 

oV»)  iuvafiiis  aliTu   avaTifi^ti,      So  JV»  evvafiii  alvouvris,  p.  6o  C(l6).      The 

word  avaTifiiru  seems  to  imply  that  these  prayers  and  thanksgivings  were 
offered  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice. 


68  Some  Account  of  the 

strangers  sojourning  among  us,  and,  in  a  word,  takes  care  of 
all  who  arc  in  need.  But  we  meet  together  on  Sunday  because 
it  is  the  first  day  in  which  God,  having  wrought  the  necessary 
change  in  darkness  and  matter,  made  the  world  ;  and  on  this 
day  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour  rose  from  the  dead.  For  He 
was  crucified  on  the  day  before  that  of  Saturn ;  and  on  the 
day  after  that  of  Saturn,  which  is  the  day  of  the  Sun,  having 
appeared  to  the  apostles  and  disciples.  He  taught  theiTi  the 
things  which  we  now  submit  to  your  consideration." 

To  take  the  particulars  stated  in  this  passage  in  their  order. 
We  find  regeneration  connected  with  the  rite  of  baptism.^  In 
the  Dialogue,  baptism  is  called  the  laver  of  repentance  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  God,  which  was  appointed  for  the  sin  of  the 
people  of  God.2  It  is  also  opposed  to  the  washings  of  the 
Mosaic  ritual,^  and  to  circumcision.*  Conformably  to  the 
injunction  of  our  blessed  Lord,  it  was  performed  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit ;  and  the  candidate  was 
fitted  for  receiving  it  by  prayer  and  fasting.  After  baptism, 
he  was  received  into  the  congregation,  and  joined  in  prayer,^ 
and  was  admitted  to  a  participation  in  the  Eucharist,  all  present 
having  first  saluted  each  other  with  the  kiss  of  peace. 

^  So  in  Dial.  p.  367  D)  »  y^^f  T^piffros,  •rparoroKOS  vairti;  XTiffiu?  aiv,  kcii 
cc.px}\  "faXit  aXXou  yhovi  yiycviv,  rod  avxyivvrjivros  v'ff  cevrov  ai  Idaroi,  icki 
iritrrias,  kcc]  ^uXou  tou  to  ftuffn-ripioi)  rou  tTTctvpou  £;^;«vtoj.  In  p.  32I  C,  ro 
ftuffryipiov  <7ra.XiM  t?j  [rris  -raXiii)  yiyifficoi  hf.Zv  refers  to  the  final  restoration 
of  the  Jews.  The  following  passage  has  been  urged  as  affording  pre- 
sumptive proof  that  infant  baptism  was  prnctised  in  Justin's  time  :  x.a) 
ToXXoi  rivt;  x,ai  -jfoXXce),  i^finovrou-rai  ko.)  \(!>oo[.',rix,rirovrai,  o'l  \k  tra/ff^v  ifiCc^tiTiu- 
iriffav  ru  XeKrrai,  a(p^opoi  ^tecfiiveuffi.      Apol.  \.  p.  62  A  (20). 

'■'  P.  231  C.      1i    'ila-TOi  kynirai,  p.  314  A. 

'  Pp.  229  D,  231  C,  235  E,  236  B,  263  C,  369  C.  t/j  Exs/'vsy  Tov  P^r/.-Tri-'iO' 
f4,aros  XP^'""'  "■y'V  "''if'^f'''''^^  fiificcvrifffiivM,  p.  246  C. 

*  P.  261  D. 

*  From  a  passage  in  the  Dialogue,  p.  318  A,  it  appears  that,  in 
Justin's  opinion,  prayer  was  most  acceptable  to  God  when  offered  by  the 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  69 

With  respect  to  the  Eucharist,  we  find  that  in  Justin's  time 
water  was  mixed  with  the  wine ;  ^  that  the  president,  having 
taken  the  bread  and  the  wine  mixed  with  water  into  his  hands, 
offered  up  praises  and  thanksgivings  to  God  ;  that  the  deacons 
then  dehvered  the  bread  and  wine  to  all  present,  and  carried 
away  a  portion  to  those  who  were  absent. 

When  we  compare  this  account  with  the  notices  on  the 
subject  of  the  Eucharist  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and  the 
Epistles,  we  find  that  considerable  alterations  had  taken  place 
in  the  mode  of  celebration;  occasioned  probably  by  the 
necessity  of  correcting  abuses  and  obviating  inconveniences. 
The  first  converts  appear  daily,  after  their  principal  meal,  to 
have  taken  bread  and  drunk  wine  in  commemoration  of  the 
death  of  their  Saviour ;  and  it  is  probable  that  tables  were 
prepared  in  the  houses  of  the  rich,  at  which  the  poorer  brethren 
were  received,  and  partook  of  the  Eucharist. ^  At  a  later 
period,  the  practice  at  Corinth  was  that  the  brethren  assembled 
together  in  some  one  appointed  place  for  the  purpose  of  eating 
the  Lord's  Supper,  still  connecting  it  with  their  meal.^  Pro- 
bably the  abuses  which  prevailed  there,  and  were  condemned 
by  St.  Paul,  or  others  of  a  similar  nature,  rendered  it  eventually 
expedient  to  make  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist  entirely 
distinct  from  the  meal ;  which  appears,  from  the  passage  just 
cited,  to  have  been  the  case  in  Justin's  time. 

As  in  those  days  nothing  but  unavoidable  necessity  could 
have  prevented  a  Christian  from  attending  the  stated  meetings, 

supplicant  in  a  kneeling  posture,  and  with  his  face  bowed  forwards  to 
the  earth. 

1  So  Irenseus,  1.  iv.  c.  57,  "  temperamentum  calicis." 

^  Acts  ii.  46,  y-XutTii  Ts  x.a.'T  oIkoi  upTov,  "breaking  bread  from  house  to 
house,"  where  xar  oikoi,  "from  house  to  house,"  is  evidently  opposed  to 
Iv  T&>  (;/i»,  "  in  the  temple." 

^  I  Cor.  xi.  20. 


70  Some  Account  of  the 

the  custom  of  sending  a  portion  of  the  consecrated  elements 
to  the  absent  probably  originated  in  the  charitable  desire  to 
testify  to  them  that,  though  absent,  they  were  present  to  the 
thoughts  and  affections  of  their  brethren;  and  to  prevent 
them  from  losing  their  share  in  the  benefits  arising  from  the 
commemoration  of  the  death  of  Christ.  One  inference  we 
may  draw  from  the  custom — that  the  thanksgiving  pronounced 
by  the  president  was  deemed  necessary  to  give  the  bread  and 
wine,  so  to  speak,  their  sacramental  character — to  make  them, 
as  Justin  expresses  himself,  no  longer  common  bread  and  wine. 
In  Justin's  description  we  find  the  deacons  employed,  as  from 
the  account  of  the  institution  of  the  office  in  Acts  vi.  we 
might  expect  them  to  be  employed,  in  distributing  the  bread 
and  wine  to  the  communicants.^ 

On  the  ground  that  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Eucharist 
are  not  common  bread  and  wine,  Justin  says  that  none  were 
allowed  to  receive  them  but  baptized  believers,  who  lived 
conformably  to  the  precepts  of  Christ.  His  reason  for  saying 
that  they  are  not  common  bread  and  wine  is  assigned  in  the 
passage  quoted  in  p.  65,  note  3 ;  from  which  Le  Nourry  ^ 
infers  that  Justin  maintained  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantia- 
tion.  It  might,  in  my  opinion,  be  more  plausibly  urged  in 
favour  of  Consubstantiation, — since  Justin  calls  the  consecrated 
elements  bread  and  wine,  though  not  common  bread  and  wine. 


'  In  the  Dialogue,  p.  259  E,  Justin  says  that  the  offering  of  fine  flour 
made  for  those  who  were  cleansed  from  the  leprosy  (Lev.  xiv.  10)  was  the 
type  of  the  bread  in  the  Eucharist,  which  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ordered  to 
be  offered  in  remembrance  of  the  suffering  which  He  underwent  for  those 
who  are  cleansed  as  to  their  souls  from  all  wickedness ;  in  order  that  we 
may  give  thanks  to  God  for  having  created  the  world  and  all  things  in  it 
for  the  sake  of  man,  and  for  having  delivered  us  from  the  wickedness  in 
which  we  lived,  and  for  having  finally  dissolved  powers  and  principalities 
through  Christ,  Who  suffered  according  to  His  will. 

''■  Apparatus  ad  Bibliothecam  maxifuam  Veterum  Pairum,  p.  408. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  71 

But  in  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho'^  we  find  Justin  stating  that 
the  bread  in  the  Eucharist  was  commemorative  of  the  body, 
and  the  cup  of  the  blood  of  Christ;  and  in  a  subsequent 
passage  2  he  applies  to  them  the  expression  dry  and  liquid 
food.  We  may  therefore  conclude  that,  when  he  calls  them 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  he  speaks  figuratively.  He 
applies  the  word  Qvfria.  to  the  Eucharist,  or  rather  to  the 
thanksgivings  and  prayers  which  were  offered  up  during  the 
celebration  of  the  rite  j^  for  he  allows  of  none  but  spiritual 
sacrifices  under  the  Christian  dispensation.  The  account 
given  by  Justin  of  the  intimate  union  which  subsisted  among 
the  brethren,  and  of  the  readiness  with  which  the  rich  contri- 
buted to  the  relief  of  the  wants  of  the  poor,  proves  that  the 
spirit  of  love  which  distinguished  the  first  converts  still  ani- 
mated the  members  of  the  Christian  community.     They  still 

'  »ri  fih  cu»  utzi  in  ravT»  rji  Tf/Kfyirsicc  (Isa.  XXxiii,  I3  e(  seij.)  vrtfi  tcu  afrtu 
»»  "rufiduKtti  rtfut  i  nfiiriftf  Xfirrit  Ttitlv  ti;  a,yd.fnr\fii  rtu  n  trufn.a.TtTeirifa.riai 
{{.  ^(e'iuficcTtTai)if^oci)  abro*  "isa,  raiif  •rtrvludtraf  tU  aiiriy,  J/  6us  *a)  Taftiris 
yiyȴi,  Kcii  vrtf)  tcu  Ttrtifitu  I  tU  atdfitin'i*  rtv  tc'iftant  ccvrtu  trxfiiaxtt  tli^tifir- 
TtvfTat  -reti'i,  (pamrai,  p.  296  E.  See  also  p.  260  A.  "Justinusin  Dialogo 
cum  Tryphone  dixit  xfrct  *tn7t,  panem  facere  vel  conficere,  hoc  est,  Christi 
exemplo  tbXoyui  xa)  tuxffurTi't,  benedictione  et  gratiarum  actione  con- 
secrate in  Sacramentum  Corporis  Christi.  AUudit  Justinus  voce  tdiun  ad 
vocem  Christi  apud  Paulum,  i  Cor.  xi.  24.  ndri  xtnTrt  us  t«»  J^uJiy 
ivafittifiy."     Casaubon,  ad  Baronii  AnnahSy  xvi.  33. 

Tftfnt  tilrut  ^Tifas  TI  xai  liypcij,  i>  S  xa)  rod  -rdicv;  a  -xWcth  3/'  aurtu  i  Btit 
reu  etau  /liftvti'rai,  p.  345  A.  The  passage  is  evidently  corrupt.  Thirlby 
proposes  to  read,  i  rimtt  3/'  abrtit  «  i//««  rtu  Situ  fiifitnrxi.  The 
language,  however,  is  such  as  would  scarcely  have  been  used  by  a  believer 
in  the  corporal  presence. 

'  P.  260  C.     Compare  p.  344  D,  jravras  #f»  »7  {Txftn  »?»,  Jebb.)  h»  nu 

h$ftaref  murtu  (vf'ias  £;  vcitpiicoxt]i  'inrtut  i  Xpirrof  yiyv.ricci,  Tourirrn  \.t)  rJi 
tuy^etpigrt(f  rtu  ctfrou  xa)  rau  •raTtifUu,  rut  Iv  •jratr)  rtTu  Ttif  ytji  yiytcfiivaf  uxi 
van  Xfiffriatv*  TftXct^uy  t  Btof  fiecpTvpiT  ivccpimvs  uTcip'^iiy  abrai,  with  p. 
345  -^i  *■'''  /^**  *'"  **'  i^X"''  *'•'  tu^ecpiiTTiai,  bro  t«/»  u^iuv  yiyyofttiai,  riXiitu 
(iOtat  xa)  tbaptfroi  tlrt  ru  ©t*  iurim,  xa.)  ccuris  (frtf^i.      See  also  p.  346  B,  and 

Apol.  i.  p.  58  A  (12),  60  C  (16). 


72  Some  Account  of  the 

distinguished    each    other    by   the    endearing    appellation   of 
brother. 

We  learn,  moreover,  from  the  passage  above  cited,  that  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  or,  as  Justin  styles  it,  the  day  of  the 
sun,^  the  brethren  met  together  for  the  purposes  of  religious 
worship ;  and  he  assigns  as  the  reason  for  the  selection  of  that 
particular  day,  that  on  it  God  began  the  work  of  creation,  and 
Christ  rose  from  the  dead.  So  long  as  the  converts  to  the 
gospel  were  principally  of  Jewish  origin,  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that,  as  they  attended  the  service  of  the  temple,  and 
frequented  the  Jewish  synagogues,  so  they  kept  the  Jewish 
Sabbath, — holding,  however,  meetings  for  religious  worship  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  in  commemoration  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection from  the  dead.     The  admission  of  the  Gentiles  into 

^  The  reader  will  observe  that  Justin  calls  the  first  day  of  the  week  h  rou 
nXicu  tifi'ipx,  "the  day  of  the  sun,"  and  the  last  yi  xpovucri,  "the  day  of 
Saturn."  Dion  Cassius,  in  Potnpeio,  c.  6,  says  that  the  Romans  derived 
the  practice  of  assigning  the  names  of  the  planets  to  different  days  from  the 
Egyptians,  and  that  it  had  become  in  a  certain  degree  national  among 
them,  xa.)  vilin  xai  TovTo  ff(pt(ri  -prdTfioi  rpo^ov  rivd  l/rriv.  Whether  the 
Egyptians,  having  received  the  computation  of  time  by  weeks  from  the 
Jews,  applied  the  names  of  the  seven  heavenly  bodies  then  known  to  be 
immediately  connected  with  our  system  to  the  days  of  the  week,  or  whether 
their  observation  of  the  heavenly  bodies  first  led  them  to  compute  time  by 
periods  of  seven  days,  may  be  doubtful ;  but  it  appears  certain  that  the 
computation  was  made  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  astrology.  Dion 
has  recorded  two  explanations  of  the  manner  in  which  the  names  of  the 
heavenly  bodies  came  to  be  assigned  to  the  different  days.  The  early 
Christians,  if  of  Jewish  extraction,  retained,  if  of  Gentile,  adopted  the 
scriptural  computation  by  weeks ;  and  finding  the  astronomical  or  astro- 
logical names  of  the  days  of  the  week  generally  received  throughout  the 
Roman  Empire,  in  their  Apologies  addressed  to  the  heathen,  naturally 
used  those  names.  Selden,  in  the  13th  and  following  chapters  of  the  third 
book  of  his  work,  De  Jiire  naturali,  etc.,  which  we  recommend  to  the 
careful  perusal  of  those  who,  whatever  be  the  side  they  espouse,  shall  here- 
after engage  in  the  controversy  respecting  the  institution  of  the  Sabbath, 
has  collected  all  that  can  be  found  on  this  not  uninteresting  subject. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  73 

the  Church  was  quickly  followed  by  the  controversy  respecting 
the  necessity  of  observing  the  Mosaic  ritual, — a  controversy 
carried  on,  as  we  collect  from  the  writings  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, with  great  bitterness ;  one  consequence  of  which  was 
that  the  converts,  whether  Jew  or  Gentile,  who  believed  that 
the  injunctions  of  the  ceremonial  law  were  no  longer  obliga- 
tory, soon  ceased  to  observe  the  Sabbath ;  some  even  went  the 
length,  as  Justin  informs  us,^  of  attaching  criminality  to  the 
observance,  as  bespeaking  a  species  of  return  from  Christianity 
to  Judaism.  Bearing,  however,  in  mind  that  one  reason 
assigned  by  Moses  for  the  sanctification  of  the  Sabbath  was 
that  on  the  seventh  day  God  rested  from  the  work  of  creation, 
they  added  to  the  original  reason  for  observing  the  first  day 
of  the  week — the  commemoration  of  Christ's  resurrection — 
another,  that  on  that  day  God  commenced  the  work  of  creation.^ 
Thus  far,  and  thus  far  only,  can  it  in  my  opinion  be  truly  said 
that  the  Lord's  day  was  substituted  in  place  of  the  Jewish 
Sabbath  :  at  first  it  was  observed  in  conjunction  with  the 
Sabbath,  and  with  a  reference  only  to  the  resurrection. 

In  Justin's  account  of  the  Christian  assemblies  we  find 
mention  of  a  president,  deacons,  and  a  reader.  That  the 
deacons  were  regarded  as  fulfilling  the  same  duties  as  the 
ministers  whose  appointment  is  recorded  in  Acts  vi.  cannot,  I 

^  The  word  aa^^tt.T\X,w,  "  to  keep  the  Sabbath,"  is  always  used  by  Justin 
with  a  particular  reference  to  the  Jewish  law,  pp.  229  C,  236  E,  237  A, 
238  A. 

^  In  the  Dialogue,  p.  241  E,  Justin  says  that  a  greater  mystery  was 
annexed  by  God  to  the  eighth  day  than  to  the  seventh.  This  mystery  he 
afterwards  states  to  be  the  command  to  circumcise  on  the  eighth  day, 
which  was  a  type  of  the  true  circumcision  from  error  and  wickedness, 
received  by  Christians  through  Jesus  Christ,  Who  rose  from  the  dead  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  which,  when  the  weekly  circle  is  complete,  corre- 
sponds to  the  eighth  day,  p.  260  C.  The  number  of  persons  saved  in  the 
ark  was  also  a  symbol  of  the  day  on  which  Christ  arose  from  the  dead, 
being  the  eighth  in  number,  but  the  first  in  power,  p.  367  D. 


74  Some  Account  of  the 

think,  be  doubted.  But  should  any  person  infer  that  because 
bishops  and  presbyters  are  not  expressly  named  by  Justin,  no 
minister  with  those  titles  then  existed  in  the  Church,  his 
inference  would  not  be  warranted  by  the  premises.  Justin,  it 
should  be  remembered,  was  addressing  heathens,  who  could 
not  be  supposed  to  take  any  interest  in  the  titles  borne  by  the 
ministers  of  the  new  religion;  nor  did  it  form  any  part  of 
Justin's  plan  to  enter  into  minute  details  respecting  the  govern- 
ment or  discipline  of  the  Church.  TertuUian,  who  in  his  other 
works  frequently  mentions  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons,  in  his 
Apology,  addressed  to  the  governors  of  Proconsular  Africa, 
uses  language  even  more  general  than  that  of  Justin.  In  one 
respect  the  president  appears  to  have  been  regarded  as  occupy- 
ing the  place  of  an  apostle ;  for  as  the  early  converts,  who  sold 
their  lands  and  possessions,  laid  the  price  at  the  feet  of  the 
apostles,^  so,  according  to  Justin,  whatever  was  collected  for 
the  use  of  the  poor  at  the  meetings  on  the  Lord's  day  was 
deposited  in  the  hands  of  the  president. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  IMMORTALITY  OF  THE  SOUL — THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE 
BODY — THE  MILLENNIUM — FUTURE  JUDGMENT— ANGELS 
— DEMONS. 

In  the  introduction  to  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho^  the  old  man 
by  whose  discourse  Justin  was  converted  to  Christianity  enters 
into  a  discussion  respecting  the  soul.  Having  stated  that  the 
heathen  philosophers  could  not  tell  what  the  soul  is,  he  pro- 
ceeds to  affirm  that  the  soul  is  not  immortal ;  "  for  if  immortal, 
^  Acts  iv.  35,  «  P.  222  E. 


Writings  of  Justifi  Martyr.  75 

it  must  also  be  necessarily-existent,  as  some  of  the  followers  of 
Plato  asserted,  and  as  others  erroneously  asserted  the  world  to 
be.  Yet,  though  not  immortal,  all  souls  do  not  die,  for  that 
would  be  a  benefit  to  the  bad ;  but  the  souls  of  the  good  exist 
in  a  happier,  and  those  of  the  bad  in  a  worse  state,  awaiting 
the  day  of  judgment,  when  those  which  appear  worthy  of  God 
will  be  exempt  from  death,  and  the  rest  be  punished  so  long 
as  God  wills  them  to  exist  and  to  be  punished.  God  alone  is 
necessarily-existent  and  incorruptible,  and  on  that  very  account 
is  God ;  all  other  thimgs,  including  the  soul,  are  created  and 
corruptible."  He  afterwards  arrives  at  the  same  conclusion  by 
a  different  train  of  reasoning.^  '*  The  soul,"  he  says,  "  is 
either  life,  or  has  life.  If  it  is  life,  it  must  cause  something 
else,  not  itself,  to  live ;  as  motion  moves  something  else,  not 
itself.  No  one  can  deny  that  the  soul  lives.  If,  then,  it  lives, 
it  lives  not  as  being  life,  but  as  partaking  of  life ;  and  that 
which  partakes  is  different  from  that  of  which  it  partakes. 
The  soul  partakes  of  life  because  God  wills  it  to  live ;  and  in 
like  manner  it  will  cease  to  partake  of  life  when  God  wills  it 
not  to  live.  For  its  existence  does  not  flow  from  itself,  as  the 
existence  of  God  from  Himself.  As  man  does  not  always 
exist,  nor  is  the  body  always  united  to  the  soul,  but,  when  this 
union  is  to  be  dissolved,  the  soul  quits  the  body,  and  the  man 
no  longer  exists ;  so  when  the  soul  is  no  longer  to  exist,  the 
vital  spirit  departs  from  it,  and  it  exists  no  longer,  but  returns 
thither  whence  it  was  taken." 

Whether  Justin  wished  to  be  considered  as  implicitly  adopt- 
ing thesp,  opinions  of  his  instructor  appears  to  me  doubtful ;  2 
but  even  if  he  did,  it  is  evident  that  he  meant  not  to  deny 

1  P.  224  B. 

■^  In  the  Dialogue,  p.  241  B,  he  refers  to  an  argument  which  he  had 
received  from  his  instructor,  ov  ru^'  Ikuvou  ^kouto,  roZ  avlpos,  "  which  I  heard 
from  that  man,"  against  the  perpetual  obligation  of  the  ceremonial  law. 
See  p.  2,  note  5. 


76  Some  Account  of  the 

the  immortality  of  the  soul,  but  only  to  say  that  it  was  not 
immortal  in  its  own  nature, — that  its  immortality  was  the  gift 
of  God.  In  a  subsequent  part  of  the  Dialogue^  he  quotes  the 
fact,  that  the  Witch  of  Endor  called  up  Samuel's  soul,  to  prove 
the  existence  of  the  soul  after  its  separation  from  the  body. 
In  the  First  Apology'^  he  says  that  the  souls  of  the  wicked  are 
in  a  state  of  sensation  after  death,  and,  imitating  Christ's 
example,  refers  to  the  passages  in  which  God  calls  Himself 
the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  to  prove  that  those 
patriarchs,  though  dead,  were  still  in  being.^  His  notion 
seems  to  have  been,  that  God  conferred  upon  our  first  parents 
the  gifts  of  incorruptibility  and  immortality,  which  they  lost  by 
their  transgression ;  but  which  may  now  be  regained  by  us  if 
we  believe,  and  lead  virtuous  and  holy  lives.* 

We  have  seen  that  Justin's  venerable  instructor  speaks  of 
the  punishment  of  the  wicked  as  enduring  so  long  as  God 
wills.  Justin  always  speaks  of  it  as  eternal.*^  There  is  no 
absolute  contradiction  between  the  two  statements,  which  may 

^  P.  333  A. 

^  P.  66  D  (29).  T4/  ?£  KoXaXicSai,  £v  ouaSriffit  x,a,)  //.ira,  ^avarov  oSffai,  tu; 
tZv  aViKuv  \f/u^d.s.  See  also  p.  65  A  (26).  ori  KOU  fAira,  ^xvarov  Iv  a,l(rSYiffti 
iliriv  ai  ^pu^cci, 

'*  P.  96  E  (81).     Compare  Matt.  xxii.  32. 

*  aXya,  vpos  TO  d^rooiT^ai  vf/.7v  on  ro  •prviuf^a  to  ayiov  ovii6iZ,ii  tou;  dvSpu'Tovf, 
rovs  xal  Siio  ofio'ius  Cfprahli  x,a)  d^avaTov;,  lav  (puXa^affi  to,  'XpoVTO.yiJi.a.roi,  avrov, 
yiyiin/Ji-ivovs  xa]  Ka-Ti>i^iu)//.ivovs  vx  uvtov  vioh;  avTov  x,ci,\i!{i6a.i^  kou  ouroi  ofjio'ias 
Tu  'ASafi  not.)  Tn  Ella  i^of/.oiouiu,ivoi  SavaTov  iauTo~i  ipyul^ovTai,  Dial.  p.  353  E, 
referred  to  in  p.  58,  note  3.     See  p.  265  D.     0"  lav  d^ious  tZ  Ixuvou  fiovXiv/^.aTi 

tauTOVS  it  tpyav  oil^ao'ij  tTis  f/.iT  avTou  avaffTpoipri;  xara^tu^ytvai  '^pmruXyKpaf^iv 
(rvfifiaffiXtvovTa;,  a(p6dpT0u;  xa.)  avaiiii  ytvofitvov;.  Apol.  i.  p.  58  B  (13).  xa) 
rod    WaX/y    tv    u<pSapintt,    yiviffSai    Oia,    'XiffTiM    TUv    Iv    auTM    aiT-/iiriis    !7'£,"-5ravT£f, 

p.  60  D  (17). 

'  aieaviav   xoXaciv   xoXaa'^ftrofiiveoVy  aXX'    ov^)   ^iXiovraiTri    'TTipio'Sov.      Apol.  i. 

p.  57  B  (10).  See  also  pp.  59  B  (12),  65  A  (26),  67  D  (30),  83  B  (56). 
Apol.  ii.  pp.  41  C,  E,  45  E,  46  D,  47  D.     Dial.  p.  344  B.     So  also  aiaviot 

KaTao-^lffiv,  pp.   340  D,  349  B.       d-TtoLXKTTui  xoXaX'.irfai,  p.  264  B. 


Wrilings  of  Jztstin  Martyr.  77 

be  reconciled  by  saying  that  God  wills  the  punishment  to 
be  eternal.  But  the  former  mode  of  expression  implies  the 
possibility  that  the  torments  of  the  wicked  may  have  an  end, 
which  the  positive  language  of  Justin  seems  to  exclude.  Pre- 
viously to  the  final  judgment,  the  soul  will  be  reunited  to  the 
body,  which,  in  the  case  of  the  good,  will  not  only  be  rendered 
immortal  and  incapable  of  suffering,  but  even  if,  during  this 
life,  it  laboured  under  any  deformity  or  defect,  it  will  then  be 
raised  in  a  state  of  complete  integrity.^  The  bodies  of  the  bad 
will  also  be  rendered  immortal,  in  order  to  endure  the  eternity 
of  suffering  to  which  they  are  destined.  The  place  of  future 
punishment  he  calls  by  the  name  of  Gehenna.^ 

In  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho^  Justin  speaks  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  man  of  sin  as  immediately  connected  with  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  in  glory.  His  appearance  was  to 
be  the  prelude  to  severe  persecutions  against  the  Christians. 
Bishop  Pearson*  supposes  Justin  to  have  believed  that  this 

1  Apol.  i,  p.  57  B  (10).  The  passage  is  corrupt,  but  the  meaning  clear. 
P.  65  C  (26).  T»jv  Ss  ^iUTipecv  [-raptiuiriav)  oray  /iira  ^i^ns  i^  oiipavaiv  fUTM  rSjf 
ayyiXiXiis  avTov  irrparias  •prapayitriina'^ot,!  xuctipvxrai,  on  Kai  ra,  iTtafji-aTat.  aviytpii 
Tavrav  <rav  ytvo/u,huv  ccv^p&i'^/uv,  xa)  rat  f/,\v  aifuii  IwvTii  ap^aptriav,  toxi  o 
a5;'x«t)V  iv  alirSniTii  a'lavia  fura.  tZv  ^aitXai  oaifjcitav  il;  to  aituviov  i-up  Tt/j.^pii, 
p.  87  B  (63).  on  xav  ris  Iv  Xcofiri  tiv)  ffciif/.a.TO;  v'Tra.p^aM  ^i/Xa|  rxv  •Ttapadiio- 
uivay  iitt  avrou  owayfiaTuy  V'TTtHp^ri,  oX'oxXripo)/  avTot  £v  Tri  diUTipa  auTov  '7rat.pov(na^ 
(/.ira,   rou   xai  a$a,v(/.rov    xa)    a<pfapTov   xa)   aXC'Trnrov   -TToirKrai,  avaffrfiffn.      Dial. 

pp.  296  A,  359  D. 

^  h  o\  yi'ma  i<rri  to'tto;  iv^a  xoXal^Kr^ai  f^iXXovfiv  o'l  ailxus  (iiu(ravTss.  Apol. 
i.  p.  66  B  (28). 

^  «  Se  'hiUTipa  ('VapoviTix)  Iv  jj  (Aira  ooi,yi;  arro  rwv  ovpxvav  vapiffrai,  orav  xai  e 
Tijj  a'proiTTaria;  avSpai-pro;,  a  xa,)  I'l;  rov  v\pi(rTov  'i^aXXa.  XaXZv,  i'^i  rr,i  yvjs 
a.-joi/,a,  roXfj,n(rvi  il?  'h^uas  rov;  Xpiffriavovs,  p.  33^  E. 

^  The  passage  to  which  Pearson  refers  is  as  follows  : — o^np  yiyvirai  l^arou 
lis  rh  obpavov  a.viXvi<pSn  fiira.  ro  ix  vixpav  avaffrnvr/.i  o  n/u.irtpos  Kvpio;  Introv; 
'X.pisro;,  ruv  ^povaiv  ffv/jt.'jrXnpovfiivav  xa)  rov  fiXa.ir<pnfia  xai  roXfinpa  £(j  ror 
v-^iirrov  fi'iXXovros  XaXuv  v^n  \'!t)  Svpai;  o'vra;  («'v),  xaipov  xa)  xaipov;  xa)  ■nf-iou 
xaipou  ^laxa^i^iiv  ^ayiyiX  ficrivvii.  xa)  vft-t7;  ayvoovvn;  vfoffov  ;^;/)5vov  ^laxar'i^uv 
fiiXXu,  cLy.Xo  hyu<fli'   rov   yap  xeupov   ixarov  'irvt   i^tiyiTrh   XiyiffSai,  il  at   revri 


78  Some  Account  of  the 

event  was  near  at  hand ;  this,  however,  does  not  strike  me  as 
a  necessary  conclusion  from  the  words. 

We  have  seen  that,  among  other  questions  put  by  Trypho 
to  Justin,  he  asks  whether  the  Christians  really  believed  that 
Jerusalem  would  be  rebuilt,^  and  that  they,  as  well  as  the 
patriarchs,  prophets,  and  Jews,  and  proselytes  who  lived 
before  the  coming  of  Christ,  would  be  collected  there.  Justin 
replies  that,  although  many  pure  (in  doctrine)  and  pious 
Christians  were  of  a  different  opinion,  yet  he  himself,  and  as 
many  Christians  as  were  in  every  respect  orthodox,  6p0oyv<a- 
fioves  Kara  iravTa,  were  assured  that  they  who  believe  in  Christ 
should  rise  in  the  flesh,^  and  for  the  space  of  a  thousand  years 

irriv,  lU  TO  t>.a;|^/5'T«v  rav  rri;  xvofiia;  avSpwrov  rpiaKoffia  'TnvrnKovTO,  'irn  (iafi^- 
iv<rai  ill,  'i\a  ro  iipt]//,ivoii  vto  tou  uy'iov  Aav/»iX,  ko)  xaipav  (f.  xai  xatpohs),  iue 
(jLtvovs  Kuipovs  Xiyia-^a.1  api^fArnroj/mv,  p.  250  A.  Here  we  have  a  plain  allusion 
to  Dan.  vii.  25  (xi.  36,  etc. )  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  4  e^  seq.  The  last  passage 
seems  to  have  suggested  the  word  ?/axaTe;^;£iv  to  Justin  ;  but  he  employs  it 
as  relating  to  the  time  during  which  the  man  of  sin  was  to  have  dominion, 
not  to  that  during  which  he  was  to  be  restrained  from  appearing.  See  the 
use  of  the  word  x.arix,"'»-     Apol.  i.  82  D  (55). 

^  C.  I,  p.  28.     Dial.  p.  306  B,  et  seq.     Compare  pp.  368  A,  369  A. 

^  To  this  resurrection  Justin  applies  the  words  TaXiyyivio-lx,  Iv  «7;  xa.)  to 
fiVffTYipi'y  "JTcikiv  rris  yiviffius  {rni  "PtaXiv  yivinui)  fi/^uv,  xa)  avKcHs  "^avruf  Tat 
rov  XpiiTTey  Iv  'ltp(iv(raxhfi  (pavriirta-^ai  rtpoitiexuiTut.  "  Regeneration,  in  which 
also  is  the  mystery  of  our  regeneration  and  the  appearance  in  flesh  of  all 
those  who  beheve  in  Christ  in  Jerusalem."  P.  312  C.  Middleton  has  most 
unfairly  charged  Justin  with  maintaining  that  the  saints  will  pass  the 
millennium  in  the  enjoyment  of  sensual  pleasures.  Nothing  of  this  kind 
is  to  be  found  in  Justin's  description  ;  and  in  p.  346  B,  he  cautions  Trypho 
against  supposing  that  the  Mosaic  sacrifices  will  then  be  revived,  or  any 
but  spiritual  sacrifices  offered  :  oZ  {tou  Xpi(rrov)  h  tt,  vriXiv  ■?rapov(ria,  /ari  So^mts 
Xiytiv  'Hiraiav  ^  touj  ciXXous  Tpo(priTa;  Suffias  a^'  al/^aTuv  n  (fTtoi'hui  \iri  T» 
SvfixfTvpiov  avaipipitrSui,  aXXa,  aXniiioiis  xa)  ■rvivf/.aTixous  aivov;  xeci  ih^ap- 
iffTias.  "  Do  not  think  that  Isaiah  and  the  other  prophets  say  that  at  His 
(Christ's)  second  coming  offerings  of  blood  and  libations  will  be  offered 
upon  the  altar,  but  true  and  spiritual  praises  and  giving  of  thanks."  It  has 
been  observed,  c.  I,  p.  24,  that  Elias  is  to  appear  before  Christ's  second 
Advent. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  79 

inhabit  Jerusalem,  rebuilt  and  beautified  and  enlarged.  In 
confirmation  of  this  opinion,  he  quotes  Isa.  Ixv.  17,  and  the 
book  of  Revelation,  which  he  expressly  ascribes  to  the  Apostle 
St.  John.  At  the  expiration  of  the  period  of  one  thousand 
years,  the  general  resurrection  was  to  take  place  ;  ^  and  after 
the  general  resurrection  and  judgment,  this  whole  frame  of 
things  was  to  be  consumed  by  fire.^ 

I  will  take  the  present  opportunity  of  laying  before  the 
reader  the  different  notices  scattered  over  Justin's  works 
respecting  angels  and  demons.  In  opposition  to  those  who 
thought  that  angels  were  only  emanations,  sent  forth  for  a 
particular  purpose,  and  then  resolved  again  into  that  from 
which  they  issued,  Justin  ascribes  to  them  a  positive  and  per- 
manent existence.^  To  certain  of  them  God  committed  the 
charge  of  watching  over  men  and  over  this  nether  world ;  *  but, 
as  they  possessed  freedom  of  will,^  and  were  capable  of  evil  as 
well  as  good,  they  allowed  themselves  to  be  seduced  into 
transgression  by  the  beauty  of  women  ;  from  their  intercourse 
with  whom  sprang  demons.  These  apostate  angels  enslaved 
the  human  race  by  magical  arts,^  by  terrifying  or  by  injuring 
them,  by  instructing  them  in   sacrificial  rites,  and   inducing 

1  P.  308  B. 

^  Apol.  i.  p.  66  B  (28),  where  Justin  appeals  to  the  authority  of  the 
Sibyl  and  Hystaspes.     Apol.  ii.  p.  45  C 

3  Dial.  p.  358  C.  Compare  pp.  311  D  and  312  B,  where  Justin  proves 
from  Ps.  cxiviii.  i,  2,  that  angels  are  heavenly  powers.  They  required 
food,  but  not  such  food  as  men  require.  Their  food  was  manna,  according 
to  Ps.  Ixxviii.  24.     Dial.  p.  279  D. 

*  Apol.  ii.  p.  44  A,  referred  to  in  c.  i.  p.  4,  note  2.  Trypho  appears  to 
have  been  scandalized  at  the  notion  that  an  angel  could  fall.  Dial,  pp. 
305  C,  306  A. 

*  Dial.  pp.  316  A,  370  A.  In  the  former  passage  he  seems  to  limit 
the  freedom  of  men  and  angels  by  saying  that  they  were  free  to  do  that 
which  God  had  empowered  each  to  do,   -rpaTTziv  'dm  "Kaffrov  hi^uvifAmn 

®  See  Apol.  i.  p.  61  A  (18). 


8o  Some  Account  of  the 

them  to  offer  incense  and  libations,  which  became  necessary  to 
themselves  after  they  were  subjected  to  passions  and  lusts.^ 
Having  enslaved  mankind,  they  sowed  among  them  murders, 
wars,  adulteries,  wantonness,  and  all  kinds  of  wickedness. 
The  poets  and  niythologists,  ignorant  that  these  evils  were  the 
work  of  the  angels  and  of  the  demons,  their  offspring, 
ascribed  them  to  the  deities,  whose  names  the  angels  appro- 
priated to  themselves  at  pleasure.^  In  order  more  securely  to 
establish  their  dominion,  the  demons  employed  every  art  to 
seduce  men  from  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  adapting  their 
temptations  to  the  character  of  the  individual  :^  if  he  was  of  a 
low  and  grovelling  temper,  addressing  themselves  to  his  senses, 
and,  as  it  were,  nailing  him  to  idols  and  earthly  objects  ;  if  he 
was  of  a  more  contemplative  cast,  perplexing  him  with  subtle 
inquiries,  and  urging  him  into  impiety.  With  this  view,  also, 
after  Christ's  ascent  into  heaven,  they  instigated  different  men,* 

^  a?  Ktti  'Ttot.ftt,  Tui  aX'oyai  (iiouvruv  alrouiri  lufjMTo.  ko.)  ^ipaTilas,  "  Who  get 
their  sacrifices  and  worship  by  exacting  upon  the  follies  of  wicked  men." 
A/>ol.  i.  p.  S9D(i5). 

It  should  be  observed  that  Justin  makes  a  clear  distinction  between  the 
worship  of  idols  and  that  of  the  heavenly  bodies.  We  have  seen  his 
notions  respecting  the  origin  of  the  former  (c.  i.  p.  4)  ;  but  he  believed, 
and  according  to  him  Trypho  also  believed,  that  God  actually  permitted 
the  heathen  to  worship  the  sun  and  moon  as  God.  This  notion  was 
founded  on  a  misinterpretation  of  the  Septuagint  version  of  Deut.  iv.  19. 
Dial.  pp.  274  B,  349  E. 

2  In  the  F?'rsi  Apology,  p.  55  E  (7),  Justin  gives  a  similar  account,  and 
says  that  men,  being  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  wicked  demons,  called 
them  gods,  assigning  to  each  the  name  which  he  had  appropriated  to 
himself.  Compare  p.  57  D  (il),  where  he  says  that  the  images,  the 
objects  of  worship  in  the  heathen  temples,  bare  the  names  and  the  forms 
of  wicked  demons.  See  also  p.  67  D  (30).  In  proof  of  this  opinion  he 
frequently  appeals  to  Ps.  xcvi.  5.  oi  ho)  rui  Uvuv  ^aifiona.  tinv,  "  the 
gods  of  the  heathen  are  demons,"  as  in  Dial.  p.  306  B. 

^  ApaL  i.  p.  92  B  (70).  The  devil  enabled  Pharaoh's  magicians  to 
work  wonders.  Dial.  pp.  294  E,  306  B.  He  also  inspired  the  false 
prophets,  p.  325  A. 

*  Apol.  i.  p.  69  C  (34). 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  8i 

among  them  Simon  the  Samaritan,  to  give  themselves  out  for 
gods  ;  as  previously  to  Christ's  appearance  on  earth  they  had 
suggested  various  fables  to  the  poets,  founded  on  what  the 
holy  prophets  had  foretold  respecting  the  coming  of  Christ 
and  the  future  punishment  of  the  wicked,  to  the  end  that  men, 
having  their  minds  preoccupied  with  those  fables,  might  regard 
the  narrative  of  Christ's  life  and  actions  with  less  reverence.^ 
In  like  manner,  they  caused  various  rites  to  be  introduced 
into  the  heathen  mysteries,  bearing  a  resemblance  to  those 
which  were  to  be  instituted  under  the  Christian  dispensation. 
Thus  from  Isa,  i.  i6,  which  Justin  refers  to  baptism,  the 
worshippers  in  the  heathen  temples  were  instructed  to  sprinkle 
themselves  before  they  made  their  offerings  ;2  and  from  what 
the  demons  had  learned  respecting  the  future  institution  of 
the  Eucharist,  bread  and  a  cup  of  water  were  placed  before 
the  candidates  for  initiation  into  the  mysteries  of  Mithras,  as  a 
part  of  the  ceremony.^  This  imitation  of  the  prophetic  writings 
extended  even  to  the  precepts  of  righteousness  inculcated  in 
the  Sacred  Volume.  < 


'  Apol.  i.  p.  89  A  (66),  where  Justin  alleges  several  instances  of  imita- 
tion, some  of  them  sufficiently  extravagant.  Compare  pp.  68  C  (31),  90 
A  (67),  97  A  (82).  Dial.  pp.  297  B,  295  A,  294  E.  The  demons  did 
not  know  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  crucified,  and  did  not  in  consequence 
invent  any  fables  with  reference  to  the  crucifixion,  p.  90  B  (68). 

2  Apol.  i.  p.  94  E  (77). 

^  Apol.  i.  p.  98  C  (90),  referred  to  in  c.  iv.  p.  66.  In  the  Dialogue, 
p.  304  B,  Justin  says  that  the  practice  of  initiating  the  votaries  of  Mithras 
in  a  place  called  a  cave  was  derived  from  Isa.  xxxiii.  16.  uu-roj  aljcruru  iv 
i-4-n>.Z  w/iXcc'tM  -Arpu-s  If^^upas,  "  his  place  of  defence  shall  be  the  munitions 
of  rocks;"  from  which  passage  he  infers  that  Jesus  was  born  in  a  cave  near 
Bethlehem.  See  Casaubon,  Exercit.  ad  Baronii  Annales,  ii.  i.  See  also 
p.  296  B. 

01)  x,a,i  Tou;  Xoyov;  ttuhtccs  //,ifyt.r,<!airl!a.i  i-Ttiy^iipnuoi.t'  2ixxiii'rp6i'^ias  yap  x'oyov; 
xctt  fctp  iKiivois  kiyitr^ai  iTix^da-avTi).  "  Of  which  they  attempted  to  imitate 
all  the  prophetic  writings,  and  they  also  managed  by  art  that  precepts 
of  righteousness  should  be  spoken  among  them. "     P.  29'i  C. 

F 


82  Some  Account  of  the 

Actuated  by  a  spirit  of  unremitting  hostility  against  God  and 
against  goodness,  the  demons  instigated  all  the  persecutions 
to  which  not  only  the  Christians,  but  the  virtuous  among  the 
heathen  were  exposed.^  They  also  excited  the  Jews  to  put 
Christ  to  death.2  They  were  the  authors  of  the  calumnious 
accusations  brought  against  the  Christians.^  To  their  sugges- 
tions were  to  be  traced  the  different  heresies  which  had  arisen 
in  the  Church ;  *  the  unjust  and  wicked  laws  which  had  been 
enacted  in  different  states  ;  ^  in  short,  they  were  the  authors  of 
all  evil  existing  in  the  world.  Among  these  evil  angels  the 
serpent  who  deceived  Eve,  called  also  in  Scripture  Satan,  and 
the  devil,  was  pre-eminent ;  ^  who,  together  with  the  other 
apostate  angels  and  with  wicked  men,  will  be  consigned  to 
eternal  flames  at  the  consummation  of  all  things.^ 

With  respect  to  demoniacal  possessions,  Justin  says  that 
the  Christians,^  by  adjuring  demons  in  the  name  of  Christ, 

^  This  opinion  is  repeatedly  stated  by  Justin.  See  Apol.  i.  pp.  55  D 
(6),  59  D  (15),  82  B  (53).  Apol.  ii.  pp.  41  D,  4S  D,  46  C,  50  B.  Dial. 
p.  258  D,  where  it  is  said  that  the  persecutions  of  the  Christians  will 
continue  till  Christ's  second  coming,  p.  360  D. 

-  Apol.  i.  p.  96  A  (80). 

=*  Apol.  i.  pp.  58  D  (13),  68  D  (31).     Apol.  ii.  p.  51  B. 

■»  Apol.  i.  pp.  69  D  (33),  91  A  (69),  92  A  (70). 

*  Apol.  ii.  p.  48  A. 

'  tctf  rtiMv  f^iv  yap  0  ap^tiyirtis  ray  xaxut  iai/ziyuti  o(fi!  KccXiirat,  xa.) 
a-aravcis,  xa)  iidfioXos,  "But  the  ringleader  and  princeof  evil  spirits  is  by  us 
called  the  serpent,  and  Satan,  and  false  accuser."  Apol.  i.  p.  71  A  (37). 
Compare  Dial.  pp.  264  A,  304  D,  327  D,  331  B,  353  E,  354  E. 

'  Apol.  i.  pp.  71  B  (37),  82  D  (56),  87  B  (63).  Apol.  ii.  p.  46  D. 
Dial.  p.  361  C.  This  notion  of  Justin,  that  the  punishment  of  the  apostate 
angels  will  not  take  place  until  the  end  of  the  world,  has  by  some  been 
stigmatized  as  heretical.  See  Le  Nourry,  p.  416.  Perhaps  Justin  meant 
that  all  their  power  of  doing  mischief,  and  consequently  their  only  source 
of  gratification,  would  then  be  taken  away,  and  they  would  exist  for  ever 
in  a  state  of  unmitigated  misery. 

^  Apol.  ii.  pp.  45  A,  46  D.  Dial,  pp.  247  C,  302  A,  311  B.  In  the 
last  passnge,  Justin  says  that  a  demon  would  possibly  obey,  if  adjured  by  a 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  83 

were  enabled  to  work  cures  which  the  Jewish  and  heathen 
exorcists  had  in  vain  attempted.  He  here  speaks  as  if  the 
suffering  party  was  really  possessed  by  a  demon ;  but  on 
another  occasion  he  classes  possessed  and  insane  persons 
together,  and  says  that  the  souls  of  dead  men  had  entered 
into  thera.i  There,  however,  is  no  real  contradiction ;  for  he 
supposed  that  wicked  angels  hovered  about  the  beds  of  dying 
men,2  on  the  watch  to  seize  the  parting  soul ;  which  being  now 
brought  within  their  power,  was  compelled  to  obey  their 
bidding.  The  souls  of  the  prophets  and  holy  men  of  old  had 
thus  fallen  under  the  dominion  of  demons ;  as  was  evident 
from  the  power,  exerted  by  the  Witch  of  Endor,  of  calling  up 
the  soul  of  Samuel ;  and  the  demons  could,  by  a  similar 
exercise  of  power,  cause  them  to  possess  the  bodies  of  men. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  CHRISTIANS  IN  THE  TIME  OF 
JUSTIN,  AND  THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  RAPID  DIFFUSION  OF 
CHRISTIANITY. 

In  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  we  find  Justin  using  the  follow- 
ing  language :  ^    "  There   is   no   race    of    men,    whether    of 

Jew  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob.  He 
speaks  of  the  demons  as  trembling  at  the  name  of  Christ,  ov  ko.)  ra  "iaifiavioc. 
(fpia-irii.     Pp.  269  D,  350  B,  361  C. 

'  xo]  81  •^vp^a'is  d.ToSa.vivTuv  Xafifiavofiiiti  Ko)  fi-mi/ifioi  avifuToi,  out  oaifio- 
y/ioX^TTovs  Ko.)  f^aivofiivov;  xaXouri  •ravrtf.  "  And  those  persons  who  are 
violently  caught  up  and  dashed  down  again  by  departed  spirits,  and  who 
pass  among  you  all  for  demoniacs  and  mad."     Apol.  i.  p.  65  A  (26). 

*  DiaL  p.  332  E.  Justin  speaks  as  if  a  petition  to  be  delivered  in  the 
hour  of  death  from  the  power  of  evil  spirits  formed  a  special  topic  in  the 
prayers  of  Christians. 

*  P.  345  C. 


84  Some  Account  of  the 

barbarians,  or  of  Greeks,  or  bearing  any  other  name,  either 
because  they  live  in  waggons  without  fixed  habitations,  or  in 
tents,  leading  a  pastoral  life,  among  whom  prayers  and  thanks- 
givings are  not  offered  to  the  Father  and  Maker  of  the  universe 
through  the  name  of  the  crucified  Jesus."  As  Justin  is  then 
endeavouring  to  show  that  the  prediction  of  Malachi,^  which 
speaks  of  the  universal  diffusion  of  true  religion  among  the 
Gentiles  in  the  days  of  the  Messiah,  was  fulfilled  in  the  actual 
state  of  Christianity,  we  must  make  allowance  for  some 
exaggeration  in  the  description.  We  may  interpret  his  lan- 
guage more  strictly,  when  he  says  that  new  converts  were 
continually  added  to  the  Church  through  the  admiration 
excited  by  the  virtuous  practice  and  enduring  constancy  of  the 
Christians.  He  states,^  with  regard  to  himself,  that  in  embrac- 
ing Christianity,  he  was  in  no  small  degree  influenced  by 
observing  that  the  Christians,  against  whom  so  many  calumnies 
were  propagated,  encountered  death,  and  whatever  else  is 
deemed  most  dreadful,  without  fear.  Such  persons,  he 
reasoned  with  himself,  could  not  be  leading  wicked  and  dissi- 
pated lives.  "  For  what  lover  of  pleasure,"  he  asks,  "  or 
intemperate  man,  or  delighting  to  feed  on  human  flesh,  would 
embrace  death,  thereby  to  lose  all  that  he  deemed  desirable  ? 
and  would  not  rather  strive,  by  every  means,  to  evade  the 
pursuit  of  the  governors,  in  order  that  he  might  live  for  ever  in 
this  world  ?  Much  less  would  such  a  man  denounce  himself 
to  the  magistrate."  On  another  occasion  he  says,^  "  It  is 
evident  that  no  one  can  terrify  or  enslave  those  who  have 
believed  in  Jesus.  For  when  condemned  to  be  beheaded,  to 
be  crucified,  to  be  cast  lo  wild  beasts,  into  chains,  or  into 
the  flames,  or  to  be  otherwise  tortured,  they  never  swerve  from 
the  i)rofession  of  their  faith.  Nay,  the  more  frequently  such 
punishments  are   inflicted,   the    greater   the   addition   to   the 

1  I.  II. 

^  Apol.  ii.  p.  50  A.     Compare  Apol.  i.  p.  63  C  (23). 
'  Dial.  pp.  337  B,  350  A,  360  D. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  85 

faithful  and  pious  believers  in  the  name  of  Jesus ;  as  when 
you  cut  off  the  fruit-bearing  parts  of  the  vine,  it  puts  forth 
other  flourishing  and  fruitful  branches." 

As  the  main  object  of  the  First  Apology  is  to  remove  the 
unfavourable  impression  which  had  been  made  on  the  minds 
of  the  Emperors  by  the  calumnious  accusations  circulated 
against  the  Christians,  Justin  naturally  appeals  to  the  moral 
precepts  delivered  by  Christ,  and  to  the  fact  that  the  Christians 
lived  in  conformity  to  them.  "  We,"  he  says,  "  follow  the 
one  unbegotten  God,  through  the  Son — we  who  formerly 
delighted  in  vicious  excesses,  but  now  are  temperate  and 
chaste — we  who  formerly  had  recourse  to  magical  arts,  but 
have  now  dedicated  ourselves  to  the  good  and  unbegotten 
God — we  who  formerly  placed  our  greatest  pleasure  in  acquir- 
ing wealth  and  possessions,  but  now  bring  all  that  we  have 
into  a  common  stock,  and  impart  to  every  one  in  need — we 
who  hated  and  destroyed  each  other,  and,  on  account  of  the 
difference  of  manners,  refused  to  live  with  men  of  a  different 
tribe,  now,  since  the  appearance  of  Christ,  live  on  terms  of 
familiar  intercourse  with  them,  and  pray  for  our  enemies,  and 
endeavour  to  persuade  those  who  hate  us  without  a  cause  to 
live  conformably  to  the  perfect  precepts  of  Christ,  to  the  end 
that  they  may  become  partakers  with  us  of  the  same  joyful 
hope  of  a  reward  from  God  the  Ruler  over  all."^ 

But  though  many  might  become  favourably  disposed  to 
Christianity  by  contemplating  the  pure  and  blameless  lives  of 
its  professors,  and  thus  be  induced  at  length  to  imitate  the 
virtues  which  they  admired,  yet  to  the  majority  the  Christians 
were  the  objects  at  once  of  hatred  and  contempt.^     They  were 

^  Apol.  i.  p.  61  B  (iS).  In  the  Dial.  p.  309  A,  Justin  challenges  his 
opponents  to  prove  that  the  Christians  were  actuated  by  the  love  cf  gain, 
or  glory,  or  pleasure. 

2  Apol.  i.  p.  63  C  (23). 


86  Some  Account  of  the 

regarded  as  the  vilest  of  men,^  and  treated  with  the  greatest 
contumely  and  injustice.^  The  most  unnatural  and  revolting 
crimes  were  laid  to  their  charge  ;  they  were  accused  of  feeding 
on  human  flesh,^  and,  after  their  horrible  repast,  of  extinguish- 
ing the  lights,  and  indulging  in  a  promiscuous  intercourse. 
They  were  also  charged  with  atheism  and  impiety,*  because, 
as  Justin  states,^  they  would  not  worship  the  gods  of  the 
Gentiles,  or  offer  libations  and  sacrifices  to  dead  men.  No 
measure,  which  promised  to  accomplish  their  destruction,  was 
rejected  on  account  of  its  iniquity  or  atrocity  ;  their  domestics 
were  sohcited  to  inform  and  to  give  evidence  against  them  \  ^ 
and  Justin  in  one  place  states  that  murders  were  purposely 
committed  by  others,  in  order  that  the  Christians  might  be 
charged  with  the  guilt ;  '^  and  that  their  servants,  their  children, 
or  their  wives  were  then  put  to  the  torture,  in  the  hope  that 
some  expression  might  drop  in  the  moment  of  agony  which 
might  furnish  matter  of  accusation  against  them.  So  strong 
was  the  current  of  public  feeling  against  them,  that  Justin 
ventures  to  ask  of  the  Emperors  no  more  than  this^ — that 
when  the  Christians  were  brought  before  the  tribunals,  they 
should  not  be  condemned  merely  because  they  were  Chris- 
tians, but  should  be  dismissed,  unless  they  were  convicted  of 


^  a.y(fiuvi)i(  »iSt»of  dl'ttis,  "Men  of  no  worth,"  is  Trypho's  expression, 
p.  225  E.  In  p.  349  B,  Justin  repels  the  charge,  ovkov*  oIk  ivxaTocippov/iros 
it;//,0S  itrfiiv,  ouTt  fiap[iapov  ^vXoy,  aySs  i^oToc  Kapuii  «  ^puyui  ihn.  "  For  we  are 
no  a  despicable  people,  nor  a  barbarian  race,  nor  a  nation  like  the  Carians 
or  Phrj'gians." 

^  dViKUi  fi,iirou[/,iviuv  xai  iTyifia^o/u-iviav.  "Unjustly  loaded  with  public 
odium  and  oppression."     Ajio/.  i.  p.  53  B  (i). 

*  £>iai.  p.  227  B.  •*  JpoL  ii.  p.  47  A. 
»  Apo/.  i.  p.  68  E  (32). 

6  Dial.  p.  254  A.     Justin  here  alludes  to  Matt.  x.  36. 

7  A/>ol.  ii.  p.  50  B. 

•  A/>o/.  i.  p.  56  E  (9).  Yet,  in  the  Epistle  of  Adrian  subjoined  to  the 
Apology,  that  Emperor  directs  that  they  who  accused  the  Christians  falsely 
shall  be  punished. 


Writings  of  Justin  A I  arty  r.  87 

some  crime.     "I  do  not,"  he  adds,  "go  the  length  of  calhng 
upon  you  to  punish  our  accusers." 

In  one  of  the  passages  above  cited, ^  allusion  is  made  to 
Christians  who  denounced  themselves  to  the  magistrates.  As 
Justin  expresses  no  disapprobation  of  the  practice,  M.  Bar- 
beyrac  has  inferred  that  he  approved  this  extravagant  display 
of  zeal.2  M.  Barbeyrac  confirms  his  inference  by  appealing 
to  another  passage  in  the  same  Apology,^  in  which  Justin 
supposes  an  objector  to  say,  "  If  you  (Christians)  are  so  eager 
to  go  to  God,  why  do  you  not  kill  yourselves,  and  give  us  no 
further  trouble  ?  "  Justin  answers,  "  The  reason  why  we  do 
not  destroy  ourselves,  and  yet,  when  we  are  questioned,  boldly 
confess  that  we  are  Christians,  is  this  :  We  are  taught  that 
God  did  not  make  the  world  without  an  object,  but  for  the 
sake  of  the  human  race  ;  and  that  He  delights  in  them  who 
imitate  His  attributes,  and  is  displeased  with  them  who  embrace 
what  is  evil  either  in  word  or  deed.  If,  therefore,  we  all 
should  destroy  ourselves,  we  should,  as  far  as  depends  on  us, 
be  the  cause  that  no  one  would  be  born  or  instructed  in  the 
divine  doctrine,  or  even  the  cause  that  the  whole  human  race 
would  fail ;  and  thus  we  should  act  in  opposition  to  the  will 
of  God,  But  when  we  are  questioned,  we  do  not  deny  that 
we  are  Christians,  because  we  are  not  conscious  to  ourselves 
of  any  evil ;  and  because  we  think  it  impious  not  to  speak  the 
truth  under  every  circumstance."  M.  Barbeyrac  infers  from 
this  passage  that  Justin  did  not  consider  a  Christian  to  be 
really  the  cause  of  his  own  death,  when,  through  an  ill- 
regulated  desire  of  martyrdom,  he  denounced  himself.  But 
when  we  inquire  into  the  circumstances  which  gave  rise  to 
Justin's  remark,  we  shall  find  that  they  have  no  connexion 
with  the  case  supposed  by  M.  Barbeyrac.     A  Christian,  named 

»  P.  84. 

*  Traite  de  la  Morale  des  Fbcs,  c.  2,  sect.  viii. 
'  Apol.  ii.  p.  43  C. 


88  Some  Account  of  the 

Ptolemy,  was  brought  before  Urbicus,  the  Prefect  of  Rome, 
and  asked  whether  he  was  a  Christian  ?  On  his  replying  in 
the  affirmative,  Urbicus  ordered  him  to  be  led  away  to  execu- 
tion. Another  Christian,  named  Lucius,  who  witnessed  the 
transaction,  immediately  exclaimed  to  Urbicus,  "  What  is  the 
reason  that  you  have  ordered  a  man  to  be  punished  who  has 
been  convicted  of  no  crime  whatever,  but  has  merely  confessed 
that  he  is  a  Christian  ?  The  judgment  which  you  have  pro- 
nounced befits  neither  a  pious  Emperor,  nor  the  son  of  a 
philosophic  Csesar,  nor  the  sacred  Senate."  Urbicus  made  no 
other  reply  to  this  address  than  by  saying  to  Lucius,  "  You 
also  seem  to  be  a  Christian."  Lucius  admitted  that  he  was, 
and  Urbicus  ordered  him  also  to  be  led  away  to  execution. 
Justin  adds  that  he  thanked  the  governor  for  the  sentence, 
knowing  that  he  should  now  be  delivered  from  the  tyranny  of 
such  wicked  rulers,  and  should  go  to  the  Father  and  King  of 
heaven.  It  is  evident  that,  in  coming  forward  as  he  did, 
Lucius  was  not  actuated  by  any  desire  of  martyrdom,  but  was 
impelled  by  a  feeling  of  indignation  at  the  gross  injustice  of 
the  Prefect's  conduct  towards  Ptolemy.  It  is  true  that,  when 
condemned  to  death,  he  expressed  his  joy  at  the  prospect  of 
quilting  this  world,  and  being  admitted  to  the  presence  of  his 
heavenly  Father ;  but  the  desire  of  encountering  death  was 
not  the  motive  which  influenced  him  in  addressing  Urbicus. 
The  case  of  a  Christian  who  denounced  himself  to  the  magis- 
trate through  the  desire  of  martyrdom  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  in  Justin's  contemplation.  He  states  the  case  of  a 
voluntary  suicide  on  the  one  hand  ;  of  a  Christian  who,  when 
questioned,  denied  that  he  was  so  on  the  other ;  and  he  con- 
demns both.  He  argues  that  Christians  would  be  culpable  if 
they  destroyed  themselves.  Why  ?  because  they  would  act  in 
opposition  to  the  will  of  God,  Who  did  not  create  the  world 
without  an  object.  The  fair  inference,  therefore,  would  seem 
to  be  that  Justin  would  have  condemned  a  Christian  who 
exposed  himself  to   death   without   an   object.      The  youth 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  89 

who  made  the  extraordinary  proposal  to  the  governor  of 
Alexandria  on  which  M.  Barbeyrac  has  remarked,  had  an 
object  in  view — that  of  convincing  the  governor  that  the 
Christians  did  not  practise  in  their  assemblies  those  gross 
immoralities  which  were  attributed  to  them.^  I  mean  not, 
however,  to  say  that  Justin  does  not  sometimes  use  language 
which  implies,  on  the  part  of  the  early  converts,  an  eagerness 
to  court  martyrdom  :  2  I  am  far  from  defending  such  language ; 
but,  as  I  have  elsewhere  stated,^  there  were  circumstances  in 
the  situation  of  the  first  Christians  which  ought  to  prevent  us 
from  being  too  severe  in  condemning  it. 

M.  Barbeyrac  also  says  that  Justin  entertained  very  exag- 
gerated notions  of  the  merit  of  celibacy.  On  one  occasion 
Justin,  in  order  to  point  out  the  superiority  of  the  precepts 
of  Christ  to  those  of  the  heathen  moralists,  says  that  with 
respect  to  chastity,  they  forbade  practices  which  human  laws 
allowed  (for  instance,  the  practice  of  divorcing  a  wife  and 
contracting  another  marriage),  and  that  they  controlled  the 
inward  desire  as  well  as  the  outward  act*  He  then  adds  that 
many  persons  of  both  sexes,  who  had  been  instructed  in 
Christianity  from  their  infancy,  and  had,  when  he  wrote, 
attained  the  age  of  sixty  or  seventy,  had  led  an  uniform  life 
of  continence.  On  another  occasion  Justin  says  that  the 
Christians  either  abstained  from  marriage  altogether,  or 
married  with  the  sole  view  of  having  children.^  These  pas- 
sages, however,  are  not   mentioned   by  M,   Barbeyrac,   who 

1  Apol.  i.  p.  71  E  (38). 

^  Apol.  i.  p.  57  -^  (lo)'  ff'^ivSo/^iv  I'tt)  to  ofi6Xoyi7v,  "  We  are  in  haste  to 
be  confessing." 

^  In  my  account  of  Tertullian's  writings,  p.  154. 

*  Apol.  i.  p.  62  A  (20). 

*  Apol.  i.  p.  71  D  (38).  In  the  Dialogue,  p.  337  B,  Justin  seems  to 
urge,  as  a  proof  of  the  superiority  of  the  Christian  morals,  the  fact  that 
each  man  contented  himself  with  a  single  wife. 


90  Soifie  Account  of  the 

refers  to  the  third  chapter  of  the  fragment  of  the  tract  on 
the  Resurrection  of  the  Flesh,  in  which  the  author  distinctly 
appHes  the  epithet  unlawful,  avofj-ov,  to  marriage.  Grabe 
endeavours  to  get  over  the  difficulty  by  saying  that  the  word 
avofxov  should  be  translated  indifferent ;  because,  as  we  have 
seen,  Justin  allowed  that  marriage  might  be  contracted  for 
the  purpose  of  having  children.  But  few,  I  think,  will  be 
satisfied  with  this  interpretation.  If  the  fragment  was  really 
the  work  of  Justin,  we  must  conclude  that,  like  other  dis- 
putants, in  his  eagerness  to  answer  the  objections  immediately 
before  him,  he  did  not  stay  to  examine  very  accurately  the 
soundness  of  his  answer. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  notice  what  M.  Barbeyrac  has  said 
respecting  Justin's  opinions  on  the  lawfulness  of  an  oath, 
since,  according  to  his  own  admission,  Justin  has  merely 
recited  our  Saviour's  words. ^ 

Living  so  nearly  as  Justin  did  to  the  apostolic  age,  it  will 
naturally  be  asked  whether,  among  other  causes  of  the  diffusion 
of  Christianity,  he  specifies  the  exercise  of  miraculous  powers 
by  the  Christians.  He  says,  in  general  terms,  that  such 
powers  subsisted  in  the  Church " — that  Christians  were  en- 
dowed with  the  gift  of  prophecy;^  and  in  an  enumeration 
of  spiritual  gifts  conferred  on  Christians,  he  mentions  that  of 
healing.*  We  have  seen,  also,  in  a  former  chapter,^  that  he 
ascribes  to  Christians  the  power  of  exorcising  demons.     But 

1  Apol.  i.  p.  ez  D  (23). 

^  Dial.  p.  254  B.  ?(«  n  rut  'ipyiui,  xai  Tuit  a'To  raZ  ovofji-aTos  ccutdu  Kai 
tvy  ytyiofjiXiui  Itviafn-im.  "On  account  of  the  work  and  the  acts  of  power 
worked  now  in  His  name." 

'  'Tra.fa,  yap  iif^iv  xa.)  f^ixf  ''"''  "^fo^nTiKo.  y^cf-fKriAaTo.  irriv.  "  For  there  IS 
also  now  the  gift  of  prophecy  among  us."  Dia/.  p,  308  B.  See  also 
P-  315  B. 

*  Dial.  p.  258  A.  «  Chap.  v. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  91 

he  produces  no  particular  instance  of  an  exercise  of  miraculous 
power,  and  therefore  affords  us  no  opportunity  of  applying 
those  tests  by  which  the  credibility  of  miracles  must  be  tried. 
Had  it  only  been  generally  stated  by  the  evangelists  that 
Christ  performed  miracles,  and  had  no  particular  miracles 
been  recorded,  how  much  less  satisfactory  would  the  gospel 
narratives  have  appeared  !  how  greatly  the  evidence  in  sup- 
port of  our  Saviour's  divine  mission  been  diminished  ! 

I  know  not  that  I  can  take  a  better  opportunity  than  the 
present  of  offering  a  few  remarks  on  the  arguments  urged  by 
Justin  in  proving  the  truth  of  the  Christian  revelation.  I  have 
elsewhere  observed  ^  that  nothing  can  be  more  unreasonable 
than  to  censure  the  Apologies  of  the  early  Fathers,  because 
they  do  not  contain — what  they  never  were  designed  to  con- 
tain— a  regular  exposition  of  the  evidences  of  Christianity. 
They  were  composed  with  the  view  of  removing  the  prejudices 
of  the  opponents  of  the  new  religion,  and  instructing  mankind 
in  its  real  character  and  design.  Whatever  mention  occurs 
of  the  evidences  of  Christianity  is  merely  incidental.  In  his 
dispute  with  Trypho,  Justin  was  naturally  led  to  insist  rather 
on  the  argument  from  prophecy  than  on  that  from  miracles. 
A  large  portion  of  the  Dialogue  is  occupied  in  showing  that 
the  prophecies  relating  to  the  Messiah  in  the  Old  Testament 
were  accomplished  in  Jesus.^  Another  argument  urged  by 
Justin  is  derived  from  the  fulfilment  of  the  predictions  de- 
livered by  Jesus  Himself  ;3  to  foretell  future  events  being,  as 
he  observes,  the  work  of  God  alone.'*  But  though  he  appeals 
more  frequently  to  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  he  occasionally 

1  In  my  volume  On  Tertulliajt,  p.  134. 

2  See  also  Apol.  i.  pp.  88  A  (64),  73  B  (40),  et  seq. 
'  Dial.  pp.  253  B,  254  A,  271  A,  308  C, 

*  xxiiiri  'ipyAi  (paUirat  yiyvo/^iva  offn  (f6u,<roi,;  yiyiirSat  ■Xfoilfii,  c^rip  QtoZ  'ipyn 
iffri.  "Because  we  see  these  things  fulfilled  according  to  His  prediction, 
fur  tills  or  nothing  is  the  work  of  God."     ^/"o/.  i.  p.  60  A  (16). 


iy 


92  Some  Account  of  the 

introduces  the  mention  of  Clirist's  miracles ;  ^  yet  as  it  might 
be  said  that  they  were  performed  by  magical  arts,  he  seems 
to  have  thought  that,  without  the  argument  from  prophecy, 
they  would  not  of  themselves  be  sufficient  to  establish  the 
divine  mission  of  Jesus.^  They  who  express  surprise  that  the 
miracles  wrought  by  Jesus  and  His  disciples  did  not  produce 
instant  conviction  in  the  minds  of  all  who  witnessed  them, 
have  not  sufficiently  attended  to  the  state  of  opinion  either 
among  the  Jews  or  Gentiles.  The  distinction  between  their 
incredulity  and  that  of  modern  sceptics  is  this.  They  readily 
admitted  the  fact  that  an  event  out  of  the  ordinary  course  of 
nature  had  occurred,  but  denied  that  it  afforded  conclusive 
proof  of  the  divine  mission  of  Him  through  whose  agency  it 
was  brought  to  pass.  The  modern  sceptic  takes  a  different 
course ;  he  stops  us  at  the  very  threshold,  by  asserting  that 
no  testimony  whatever  can  outweigh  the  antecedent  incredi- 
bility of  the  event. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE   HERESIES    MENTIONED    BY   JUSTIN— MISCELLANEOUS 
OBSERVATIONS. 

Justin  mentions  Simon,^  and  says  that  he  was  a  native  of 
Samaria  ;  that  through  the  assistance  of  the  demons  he  per- 
formed magical  miracles  at  Rome  in  the  reign  of  Claudius 

^  Dial.  p.  254  B.  In  the  First  Apology,  p.  73  A  (40),  both  miracles 
and  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy  are  mentioned,  but  the  argument  turns 
rather  on  the  latter.  It  was  foretold  that  Christ  would  work  miracles ; 
Jesus  worked  miracles  :  He  was  therefore  the  Christ. 

*  Apol.  i.  p.  72  A  (38). 

^  Ajjol.  i.  p.  69  C  (33).     See  also  p.  91  B  (69) ;  Apol.  ii.  p.  52  A. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  93 

Caesar,  and  was  in  consequence  regarded  as  a  god ;  that  a 
statue  was  erected  in  his  honour,  having  the  following  inscrip- 
tion in  Latin,  "  Simoni  Deo  Sancto " ;  ^  that  nearly  all  the 
Samaritans,  and  a  few  of  other  nations,  adored  him  as  the 
supreme  god,^  and  called  a  female,  by  name  Helena,  who  then 
travelled  about  with  him,  but  had  before  been  a  prostitute,  his 
first  intelligence,  rr\v  vtt  avrov  evvotav  Trpwrrjv  yevo/x^vrjv. 

Justin  mentions  also  Menander,^  another  Samaritan,  who 
was  set  on  by  the  demons ;  and  when  he  resided  at  Antioch, 
deceived  many  by  magical  arts.  He  persuaded  his  followers 
that  they  should  never  die ;  and  some  in  Justin's  time  still 
maintained  the  same  doctrine. 

A  third  heretic,  mentioned  by  Justin  as  his  contemporary,  is 
Marcion  of  Pontus,*  who  taught  that  there  was  a  god  superior 
to  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  and  another  Christ  besides  the 
Christ  announced  by  the  prophets.  He  had,  according  to 
Justin,  numerous  followers. 

Justin^  mentions  cursorily  that  there  were  heretical  sects 

1  This  story  respecting  the  statue  erected  in  honour  of  Simon  Magus  has 
been  repeated  by  several  of  the  Fathers,  and  was  generally  received  as 
true,  until  in  1574  a  statue  was  digged  up  in  the  Island  of  the  Tiber, 
having  an  inscription  commencing  thus :  "  Semoni  Sanco  Deo  Fidio 
Sacrum."  The  majority  of  learned  men  have  since  been  of  opinion  that 
Justin,  deceived  by  the  similarity  of  names,  mistook  a  statue  in  honour  of 
a  Sabine  deity  for  one  erected  to  Simon  Magus.  Thirlby  affects  to  defend 
Justin.  Dr.  Burton,  in  the  notes  to  his  Batnpton  Lectures,  p.  374,  decides 
in  favour  of  Justin's  accuracy. 

•"   'Toi  'Tparov  &iov.       In  the  DLalogue,  p.   349  D  :    'dili  uTrifi.iw    Ttaa-n;   ap^ri;, 

xa)  i^ovfias,  Kct,]  luvafiiu;,  "  God  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
might." 

^  Apol.  i.  pp.  69  E  (34),  91  A  (69). 

*  Apol,  i.  pp.  70  A  (35),  92  A  (70). 

^  Dial.  p.  253  E.  The  Marciani  were  probably  the  same  as  the 
Marcosii,  so  called  from  Marcus. 


h 


94  Some  Account  of  the 

under  the  names  of  Marciani,  Valentiniani,  Basilidiani,  Satur- 
niliani,  so  called  from  the  individuals  who  first  broached  the 
different  heresies.  He  speaks,  or  rather  assents  to  Trypho/ 
who  speaks  of  Christians  who,  without  scruple,  ate  food  offered 
to  idols. 

We  have  seen  his  own  inference  from  the  words  in  Gen. 
i.  26  : 2  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness;" 
and  iii.  22:  "  Lo,  Adam  is  become  as  one  of  us."  Some 
heretics  affirmed  that  the  Almighty  addressed  these  words  to 
the  angels,  by  whom  the  human  body  was  made.^ 

Justin  speaks  of  two  descriptions  of  Christians  who  denied 
that  the  Jews  would  finally  be  restored  to  the  land  of  their 
ancestors,  and  that  Jerusalem  would  be  rebuilt :  one  class, 
as  we  have  seen,  consisted  of  Christians  who  were  in  other 
respects  orthodox;  the  other,*  of  heretics  who  denied  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  affirmed  that  the  soul,  imme- 
diately on  its  separation  from  the  body,  was  received  into 
heaven. 

It  has  been  already  observed  ^  that  Justin  alludes  to  heretics 
who  affirmed  that  the  power  who  appeared  to  Moses,  Abraham, 
and  Jacob,  was  only  an  emanation  from  the  Father,  bearing 
different  names,  according  to  the  functions  assigned  him ; 
being    inseparable    from    the    Father    as    the    light    of    the 


1  Dial.  p.  253  A.  These  were  probably  some  of  the  Gnostic  sects. 
Justin  couples  the  eating  of  things  offered  to  idols  with  idolatry  itself, 
and  says  that  a  Christian  would  rather  suffer  death  than  be  guilty  of  either 
offence. 

»  P.  54. 

'  Dial.  p.  2S5  E.  It  appears  from  Irenceus,  i.  c.  22,  and  Tertullian, 
de  Res.  Carnis,  c.  5,  that  Menander,  Marcus,  and  Saturnilus  affirmed  the 
human  body  to  be  the  workmanship  of  angels. 

«  P.  78 ;  Dial.  p.  307  A.  »  P.  50. 


Writings  of  Jtistin  Martyr.  95 

sun  on  the  earth  cannot  be  separated  from  the  sun  in  the 
heaven. 

Justin  applies  the  name  of  sophists  to  certain  persons  who 
contended  that,  when  God  said,  in  Gen.  iii.  22,  "Lo,  Adam 
is  become  as  one  of  us,"  the  expression  was  to  be  understood 
figuratively ;  not  as  spoken  of  two  or  more  persons  numerically 
distinct  from  each  other.  ^ 

We  know,  from  the  assertion  of  Justin  himself,^  that  he 
composed  a  work  against  all  the  heresies  which  had  arisen  in 
the  Church ;  but  it  has  not  reached  our  time. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  a  passage  in  the  First  Apology^ 
in  which  Justin  appears  to  insinuate  that  the  horrible  crimes 
which  were  falsely  charged  upon  the  Christians  in  general  by 
their  adversaries  might,  perhaps,  be  committed  in  the  assem- 
blies of  the  heretics. 

Justin  twice  appeals  to  the  Acts  of  Pilate,*  in  order  to  show 
that  the  predictions  of  the  prophets  concerning  the  Messiah 
were  accomplished  in  Jesus  :  first,  with  respect  to  the  cir- 
cumstances which  attended  His  crucifixion;  and  secondly, 
with  respect  to  the  wonderful  cures  which  He  performed. 
Justin  appeals'^  also  to  the  records  of  the  census  made  by 
Cyrenius,  the  first  Procurator  at  Judaea,  in  proof  of  the  birth 
of  Christ   at   Bethlehem,   and  of  the  time  when  the  event 

1  Dial.  p.  359  A.  2  Apol.  i.  p.  70  C  (36). 

»  P.  8,  note  3,  p.  70  B  (36). 

*  Apol.  i.  p,  76  C  (44),  84  C  (56).  Thirlby  suspects  that  Justin  was 
deceived  by  the  fraud  of  some  Christian  who  had  falsified  the  genuine 
Acts,  or  misrepresented  their  contents.  Both  the  circumstances  to  which 
Justin  alludes  are  found  in  the  spurious  Acts  of  Pilate  now  extant. 
Respecting  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  see  Lardner,  Heathen  Testimomes,  c.  2  ; 
Casaubon,  ad  Baronil  Annales,  xvi.  154. 

*  Apol.  i.  p.  75  E  (43),  83  B  (56) ;  Dial.  p.  303  E. 


96  Some  Account  of  the 

occurred.  He  says  that  Christ  was  thirty  years  of  age,  more 
or  less,  before  He  was  baptized  by  John/  and  that  He  worked 
at  His  father's  trade,  in  order  to  inculcate  the  duties  of  justice 
and  industry.2 

It  has  been  frequently  observed  that  Justin  is  not  very 
accurate  in  his  chronology.  He  supposes  that  Ptolemy,  the 
king  of  Egypt  who  caused  the  Septuagint  version  to  be  made, 
was  contemporary  with  Herod,  king  of  Judaea.^  He  says  also, 
if  the  reading  is  correct,  that  Christ  suffered  under  Herod 
the  Ascalonite.^  I  say,  if  the  reading  is  correct ;  for  in  a 
subsequent  passage  he  distinguishes  very  accurately  between 
Herod  the  Great  and  Herod  to  whom  Christ  was  sent  by 
Pilate.5 

We  may  state,  as  another  instance  of  Justin's  view  of 
chronology,  that  he  supposed  Deucalion  to  be  the  same  as 
Noah.6 

In  speaking  of  the  prophecies  by  which  the  coming  of  Christ 
was  announced,  he  says  that  some  were  uttered  5000,  some 
3000,  some  2000,  some  1000,  some  800  years  before  the  event; 
and  he  immediately  adds  that  Moses  was  the  first  prophet, 
and  quotes  the  prediction  of  the  dying  Jacob.'^  Pearson's 
remark  on  this  passage  is,  "  Mira  Chronologia."     But  when 

1  Dial.  p.  315  D.  2  Dial.  p.  316  C.     See  Mark  vi.  3. 

3  Apol.  i.  p.  72  C  (39). 

^  Dial,  p.  272  A.  itoLi  yap  'Hptti'Sitv,  u(p  ou  'i'pra^iv,  AffxaXavlryiv  yiyovivcci 
?Ayovris,  "Naming  Herod  the  Ascalonite  under  whom  He  sufiered." 
Perhaps,  instead  of  aip'  ou  i'^ahv,  we  should  read  a<p'  oii  l-rauiraTii,  Both 
s-x-o'Jiii  and  i^7ravo■a.ro  occur  in  the  preceding  sentence,  on  ouv  ohVi-pron  b  tu 
yivii  iiftui  \<yru,vaot.ro  ovri  vrpoiptnT'/i;  ouri  up^wi,  \\otov  ap^Yiv  tXa/Ss,  f-^XP'^  "" 
ovros  'h/iffoZ;  Xpiirros  xot.)  y'lyoiit  xai  i'prahv.  Casaubon,  i.  2,  would  omit  ihc 
words  dip'  ol  iTTcthv,  or  read  £<p'  ov  lyiw/if/i,  too  arbitrary  a  change. 

»  P.  330  D.     See  Afol.  i.  p.  78  E  (48).  «  Afol  ii.  p.  45  C. 

?  Aj>ol.  i.  p.  73  B  (39).     See  p.  92  C  (71).     Dial.  p.  247  B. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  97 

Justin  called  Moses  the  first  prophet,  he  seems  to  have  meant 
that  Moses  was  the  first  who  recorded  the  prophecies  of  former 
ages ;  not  to  have  asserted,  as  Pearson  infers,  that  Moses  lived 
5000  years  before  Christ.  On  another  occasion  he  says  that 
David  lived  1500  years  before  Christ.^  According  to  the 
received  chronology,  Malachi  prophesied  about  400  years 
before  Christ,  and  David  lived  between  1000  and  iioo  years 
before  Christ,  In  both  cases  it  differs  about  400  years  from 
Justin's  chronology,  who  places  the  last  prophet  800,  David 
1500  years  before  Christ.  Grabe  supposes  Justin  to  have 
placed  an  interval  of  5500  years  between  the  creation  and 
the  birth  of  Christ,  and  to  have  alluded  to  Adam  when  he 
spoke  of  a  prophecy  delivered  5000  years  before  Christ. 

Justin  quotes  the  Sibyl  and  Hystaspes  as  saying  that  all 
corruptible  things  will  finally  be  consumed  by  fire.^  On 
another  occasion  he  states  that  the  perusal  of  their  books,  as 
well  as  those  of  the  prophets,  had  been  prohibited  through 
the  instigation  of  the  wicked  demons,  lest  the  readers  should 
be  led  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  but  that,  notwithstanding 
the  prohibition,  the  Christians  continued  to  read  thera.^ 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

AN   EXAMINATION   OF   THE    QUESTION,  WHETHER   JUSTIN 
QUOTED   THE   GOSPELS    WHICH    WE   NOW   HAVE? 

Lardner,  in  his  account  of  Justin,  conceives  it  to  be  plain, 
"  that   our   Gospels  are   the   books   Justin   made   use  of  as 

1  Apol  i.  p.  80  C  (50).  2  ^p^i  i  p_  66  C  (28). 

^  Apol.  i.  p.  82  C  (53).     See  Casaubon's  remarks  on  this  statement  of 
Justin,  Exercit,  ad Baronii  Annales,  i.  ii. 

G 


98  So7ne  Account  of  the 

authentic  histories  of  Jesus  Christ."  ^  Since,  however,  the 
controversy  respecting  the  origin  of  the  first  three  Gospels  was 
raised  in  Germany,  the  correctness  of  the  inference,  which 
seemed  so  plain  to  Lardner,  has  been  questioned ;  and  in  our 
own  country,  a  prelate,  who  occupies  a  place  in  the  foremost 
rank  of  Biblical  critics,  has  expressed  a  decided  opinion,  "  that 
Justin  did  not  quote  our  Gospels."  If  I  venture  to  state  the 
reasons  which  induce  me  to  withhold  my  assent  from  the 
opinion  so  expressed,  I  trust  that  I  shall  be  acquitted  of  the 
rashness  and  presumption  of  unnecessarily  opposing  myself  to 
one,  for  whose  learning  and  acuteness  I  cannot  but  entertain 
the  greatest  respect.  But,  professing  as  I  do,  to  give  an 
account  of  the  writings  and  opinions  of  Justin  Martyr,  the 
reader  will  reasonably  expect  from  me  some  notice  of  this 
important  question.  The  principal  value  of  the  writings  of  the 
Fathers  consists,  perhaps,  in  the  testimony  which  they  bear  to 
the  authenticity  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament. 

It  is  certain  that  the  only  book  of  the  New  Testament 
expressly  referred  to  by  Justin  is  the  Revelation,  which  he 
ascribes  to  the  Apostle  St.  John.  Yet  it  is  scarcely  possible 
to  conceive  that  he  had  not,  in  the  course  of  his  travels,  and 
during  his  residence  at  Rome,  met  with  most  of  the  other 
books  which  now  compose  our  canon.  On  the  supposition 
that  he  had  met  with  the  present  Gospels,  the  same  reasons 
would  have  induced  him  to  make  his  quotations  from  them, 
which  induced  the  Church  to  admit  them  into  the  canon,  in 
preference  to  all  the  other  narratives  of  our  Saviour's  life  and 
ministry.  If  he  did  not  quote  them,  we  must  either  suppose 
that  he  was  unacquainted  with  them ;  or  we  must  admit  that 
a  document  then  existed,  which  Justin  deemed  to  be  of 
greater  authenticity  than  our  present  Gospels,  but  which  has 
since  been  lost. 

'  Credibility  of  the  Gospel  History,  c.  x.  sect,  ix- 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  99 

Dodwell,  in  his  Dissertatiotu  on  Irenceus}  has  stated  the 
following  reasons  for  thinking  that  the  books  from  which 
Justin  made  his  quotations  were  our  present  Gospels.  He 
calls  them  Gospels  ^ — the  passages  which  he  quotes  are  extant 
in  our  Gospels,  with  very  little  variation,  and  the  insertions  of 
passages  from  apocryphal  books  are  very  rare  ^ — the  account 
which  he  gives  of  the  origin  of  what  he  terms  a.Tro[xvrjij.ovevfiaTa 
Twv  'AttocttoXwv  corresponds  with  the  origin  of  our  Gospels, 
viz.  that  two  were  written  by  apostles,  and  two  by  companions 
of  the  apostles.*  Moreover,  Irenaeus,^  who  was  nearly  con- 
temporary with  Justin,  speaks  as  if  it  was  a  fact  universally 
acknowledged,  that  there  were  only  four  Gospels  ;  and  assigns 
reasons  why  there  could  be  neither  more  nor  less  than  four. 

The  learned  prelate,  however,  to  whom  I  have  alluded, 
thinks  that  the  expression  dTro/AVTy/Aovcv/xara  twv  'AttocttoAwv  is 
wholly  inapplicable  to  our  present  Gospels.^     For — 

I.  "  The  term  ^ k-rroix.vrj^ovf.vp.aTa  denotes  not  several  works, 
each  written  by  a  different  person,  but  simply  one  work."    The 

^  Diss.  i.  c.  xl. 
01    a-prifToXoi    iv    toT;    yivofiivai;    vv     xuTeH*    itofi)irifiovivft,a,riv,     a    xaXtTrai 
ilayyixia,.     "The   apostles  in   their  commentaries  called   the  Gospels." 
Apol.   i.   p.   98  B  (90).     Bishop  Marsh   supposes   the  words   a   Ko-Xurai 
ivayyiXix  to  be  an  interpolation. 

3  Dod well's  words  are,  "  Turn  et  ex  ipso  Justino  qui  e  nostris  Evangeliis 
loca  plurima  adduxit,  et  quidem  id  castissime,  raro  admodum  immistis 
Apo  cry  phis." 

*  l»  yap  ro~i  a.'TtOfi.vri^.o^iui/.aiTiv  a,  (ptifn  vrto  tSv  ' A^aiTTeXav  ahnrov  xa)  tZv 
ixtivtis  va.paxoXavfiwavTmv  (Tuvrirax^"^''  Dial.  p.  33 1  D.  Dodwell's  remark 
is,  "  S.  Lucse  verba  ipsa  respexisse  videtur,  JSa^j  xaiJ-o)  Trap^xoXouitixoTi." 

'  Tatian,  Justin's  scholar,  composed  a  Diatessaron.  Eusebius,  Hist. 
Eccl.  1.  iv.  c.  29.  Theodoret,  Haret.  Fab.  1.  i.  c.  20.  The  assertion, 
therefore,  of  Victor  Capuanus  that  Tatian's  harmony  was  called  S/a  -Jtiin 
is  either  erroneous,  or,  with  Ittigius,  we  must  read  ■va.Mrwv  for  -r'urt. 
According  to  Epiphanius,  Hcer.  26  or  46,  some  called  Tatian's  Diatessaron 
"the  Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews." 

*  See  Bishop  Marsh's  Illustration  of  his  Hypothesis,  Appendix,  sect,  iii. 


lOO  Sonu  Account  of  the 

title  Hcvoc^covTos  airofxvr][xovevixaTa  is  used  to  denote  a  single  work 
composed  by  a  single  author ;  consequently,  d7ro/xvr7//,ov€uyu.aTa 
Twv  'Attoo-toAwv  must  mean  a  single  work  composed  by  more 
than  one  author.  But  is  this  a  necessary  inference  ?  The  title 
Hevo^wvTos  aTro/ji.vrjfj.ovevfjiaTa  means  a  collection  of  such  sayings 
and  acts  of  Socrates  as  were  remembered  by  Xenophon ;  in  like 
manner,  airoixvrjfxovevfxaTa  rStv  'AttocttoXcov  means  a  collection 
of  such  sayings  or  acts  of  Christ  as  were  remembered  by  the 
apostles.  But  the  recollections  of  each  apostle  might  be 
recorded  in  a  separate  book.  One  book  might  be  entitled 
dirofJ-vrjiJiOvev/xaTa  Mar^atou,  another,  a.TTOixvr]jxov€vfjiara    Iwavvov, 

while  the  general  title  might  be  dTro/AVT^/Aovcu/xara  twv  'ATroa-ToXwv. 

II.  "  If  Justin  had  departed  from  the  common  use  of  this 
title,  and  had  meant  to  describe  four  different  Gospels,  written 
by  four  different  authors,  two  of  whom  were  not  apostles,  he 
would  surely  not  have  adopted  the  title  rwv  ^Attoo-toXwv,  as 
applicable  to  all  four ;  he  would  not  have  used  the  title  Memoirs 
by  the  Apostles,  if  only  two  out  of  the  twelve  were  concerned  in 
drawing  them  up."  The  material  part  of  this  objection  had 
been  anticipated  by  Bishop  Pearson,  who,  in  speaking  of  the 
passage  of  Eusebius,  in  which  the  account  given  by  Papias  of 
the  origin  of  St.  Mark's  Gospel  is  recorded,  observes  that  the 
Gospels  of  St.  Mark  and  St.  Luke  were  understood  by  the 
ancients  to  be  dTro/xvrjfxovevfJLaTa  Tiirpov  kol  IlttuXou.^  The  term 
aTTOfxvrjfxovev/xaTa  twv  'ATrocrToXtov,  therefore,  applies  to  t/iem  as 
well  as  to  the  other  two  Gospels.  But  the  learned  prelate 
seems  to  lay  great  stress  on  the  article  rwi',  and  to  infer  from 
it  that  ait  the  apostles  must  have  been  concerned  in  drawing 
up  the  work.  Let  us,  however,  suppose  that  Justin  had  our 
present  Gospels  before  him ;  by  what  more  appropriate  title 
could  he  refer  to  them,  when  addressing  a  heathen  Emperor 

1  "  Sic  Maici  Evangelium  credebant  Veteres  nihil  aliud  fuisse  quam 
Petri  acra^v'/j^ovEi/'^ara."  Viudicice  Ignatiartce,  Pars  I.  c.  6,  p.  297.  The 
passage  of  Eusebius  is  in  Hist.  Eccl,  1.  iii    c.  39. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  loi 

or  a  Jew,  than  by  that  of  airoixv-qfJiovevixara  TMV  'Attoo-toAwv  ? 
The  fallacy,  if  I  may  venture  to  use  the  term,  lies  in  assuming 
that  Justin  refers  to  a  work  actually  existing  under  the  title  of 
aTrofi.vr]iJiovev[j.ara  rdv  ' Attoo-toXwv,  whereas  the  expression  is 
Justin's  own,  intended  to  convey  to  a  heathen  or  a  Jew  a 
correct  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  works  which  he  quotes.  The 
works  were  known  to  Christians  by  the  title  euayye'Ata,  "Gospel,"^ 
as  is  evident  from  the  clause  which  the  learned  prelate  wishes 
to  expunge  as  spurious ;  and  had  Justin  been  addressing 
Christians,  he  would  have  used  that  title.  But  it  is  further 
urged  that  "Justin's  constant  practice  is  to  name  the  author 
from  whom  he  quotes ;  and  if  we  consult  his  numerous 
quotations  from  the  Old  Testament,  we  shall  find  that  he  does 
not  content  himself  merely  with  saying,  as  it  is  written  by  the 
prophets  or  by  the  prophet,  but  that  he  adds  by  what  prophet." 
If  this  statement  were  more  strictly  correct  than  it  is,  satis- 
factory reasons  might  be  assigned  why  Justin,  in  disputing 
with  a  Jew,  should  specify  the  book  of  the  Old  Testament  to 
which  he  appeals,  and  yet  not  mention  the  particular  Gospel 
which  he  is  about  to  quote.  In  quoting  the  former,  the  object 
of  Justin  would  be  to  influence  Trypho's  judgment,  by  appeal- 
ing to  an  authority  which  the  Jews  held  in  the  highest 
veneration ;  and  he  would  naturally  be  minute  and  precise  in 
his  reference.  But  in  quoting  the  New  Testament,  the  autho- 
rity of  which  was  denied  by  the  Jews,  his  object  would  be  not 

^  See  the  quotation  in  p.  99,  note  2.  There  are  two  other  passages  in 
which  the  word  tva.yy'iXtov  is  used  to  signify  a  written  gospel  :  one  in 
p.  227  C,  where  Trypho  says  that  he  had  read  the  precepts  delivered  %■»  t« 
Xiya^tvai  ivayyiXiu,  "  in  the  so-called  gospel ;  "  the  other  in  p.  326  D,  where 
Justin  says,  xai  Iv  tm  ihayyiXiu  Vi  yiypcfrrai  u-ttuv,  Tlayra  /4.01  crapaViiorat 
vro  Tov  'Trarpos,  ko.)  otias);  yiyvaKTKii  rov  IlaTipa.  u  f^h  0  v'los,  oliTi  tov  uIov  tl  uyi  a 
nurhp,  xai  04}  ecu  0  vlo;  aVaxaXi/i/'*),  "And  it  is  written  in  the  gospel  that 
He  said  :  All  things  are  delivered  unto  Me  of  the  Father.  And  no  man 
has  known  the  Father  but  the  Son,  and  no  man  the  Son  but  the  Father, 
and  they  to  whom  the  Son  has  revealed  Him," — an  evident  quotation  by 
memory  from  Matt.  xi.  27. 


102  Some  Account  of  the 

so  much  to  convince  Trypho,  as  to  state  certain  facts  ;  ^  the 
same  exactness  of  citation  would  consequently  be  useless.  On 
one  occasion  he  appears  almost  to  apologise  for  quoting  the 
sacred  books  of  the  Christians.^  Should  it  be  said  that  in  his 
First  Apology  addressed  to  an  heathen  Emperor,  Justin  is  no 
less  exact  in  specifying  the  prophet,  whose  book  he  quotes,  we 
reply,  that  the  principal  object  for  which  Justin  there  refers  to 
the  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  is  to  show  that  the  prophecies 
respecting  the  Messiah  were  fulfilled  in  Jesus.  It  was  important, 
therefore,  to  quote  the  precise  words  of  the  prophecy ;  and 
Justin,  with  the  view  of  proving  that  he  does  quote  accurately, 
introduces  his  quotations  by  a  short  history  of  the  Septuagint 
version,  in  order  that  the  Emperor  may,  by  referring  to  a 
work  so  generally  known,  satisfy  himself  of  their  correctness. 
The  difference  between  the  two  cases  is  that,  in  quoting  the 
Old  Testament,  Justin  appeals  to  an  authority;  in  quoting 
the  New,  he  does  not :  and  this  difference  sufficiently  accounts 
for  the  different  manner  in  which  the  quotations  are  made. 

III.  Another  objection  is  that  Justin  is  very  exact  in  his 
quotations  from  the  Old  Testament :  from  which  circumstance 
it  is  inferred  that,  if  he  had  quoted  our  present  Gospels,  the 
same  verbal  coincidence  would  have  been  found  in  the  quota- 
tions from  them.     But  is  Justin  really  so  exact  in  his  quota- 

*  Thus,  in  the  First  Apology,  where  he  says  that  the  Christians  gave  to  the 
prince  of  evil  demons  the  titles  Serpent,  Satan,  and  Devil,  he  adds,  w;  ko.) 
!»  TU1  tifiirifeitv  (rvyyfa.fifiarMV  ipsw^fccvrt;  //.ahTv  'Suvairh,  "  As  you  may  easily 
learn  from  our  Scriptures,"  p.  71  A  (37). 

-  i^u^h  y^p  uviyvus,  u  Tjivipav,  as  aiiros  cif/.oXoyriffa.;  '((ftii,  Ta  iicr  ixuvou  roZ 
ffurnfos  ri.uav  %iha^6'i\ira,  ovK  a.TO'Xov  vofii^a;   "riToinxivcei    xa)   fipa^iK    Tav   txiiveu 

x'oyia  Tpo;  to7s  vpo<pnrixt>7s  i-rifiyyiffhi;.  "For  since  you  have  read,  O  Trypho, 
as  you  have  confessed,  the  teachings  of  our  Saviour,  I  do  not  think  it 
unseasonable  for  me  to  quote  some  of  His  precepts  together  with  the 
prophetical  writings."  P.  235  D.  If  Trypho  had  not  admitted  that  he 
had  read  the  precepts  delivered  by  Christ,  Justin  would  have  thought  it 
unseasonable  to  quote  them. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  103 

tions  from  the  Old  Testament  as  this  objection  represents  ? 
In  Apol.  i.  he  ascribes  to  Zephaniah  a  passage  which  is  found 
in  Zech.  ix.  9,^  and  which  he  himself  gives  to  Zechariah  in 
the  Dialogue  with  TryphoP'  In  another  passage  he  has  mixed 
together  Num.  xxiv.  17,  Isa.  xi.  i  and  li.  5.^  In  another  he 
appears  to  have  mixed  together  Isa.  vii.  14  and  Matt.  i.  23.* 
In  another  he  professes  to  quote  the  prophet  Micah,  v.  2, 
but  gives  the  words  precisely  as  they  stand  in  Matt.  ii.  6.^  In 
another  he  has  mixed  together  Isa.  Ixv,  2  and  Iviii.  2.^  In 
another  he  ascribes  to  Isaiah  a  passage,  part  of  which  is 
found  in  Jer.  xxvii.  3.^  In  another  ^  he  ascribes  to  Jeremiah  a 
passage  which  is  found  in  Daniel.  These  instances,  to  which 
many  others  might  be  added,^  are  surely  sufficient  to  prove 
that  Justin  is  not  uniformly  accurate  in   his  quotations  from 

^  P.  76  D  (44).  The  latter  part  of  the  quotation  agrees  more  nearly 
with  the  quotation  of  the  same  passage  in  Matt.  xxi.  5  than  with  the 
Septuagint.  There  is  not  a  verbal  coincidence  in  the  two  quotations  by 
Justin. 

2  P.  273  A.     In  p.  268  B,  he  gives  Mai.  iv.  5  to  Zechariah. 

^  P.  74  C  (42).  In  p.  269  B,  he  mixes  together  Num.  xxvii.  18,  20, 
xi.  17,  and  Deut.  xxxiv,  9. 

^  P.  74  E  (42).  ^  P.  75  D  (43).  6  P.  76  A  (44). 

7  P.  84  B  (59).     See  also  p.  89  A  (65).  '  P.  86  E  (62). 

9  In  p.  344  B,  Justin  states  a  circumstance  respecting  Jesus,  the  High 
Priest  mentioned  in  Zech.  iii.,  which  is  not  found  in  Scripture.  In 
p.  232  D,  he  assigns  to  Hosea  a  passage  which,  in  other  places,  he  rightly 
gives  to  Zechariah.  In  p.  367  C,  we  find  oV*  b  rZ  'Utrala  \iXtKrai  v-tto  tou 
6£«u  'Zpo;  T»v  lipouJuXYifji,,  on  i'pr)  rov  Ka,TiiKXu(rf^oZ  tou  Naj  'iataiiu,  crt,  "  that  it 
is  said  in  Isaiah  by  God  to  Jerusalem,  Because  I  saved  thee  in  the  deluge 
of  Noah,"  which  Thirlby,  with  reason,  conjectures  to  be  an  erroneous 
quotation  from  memory  of  Isa.  liv.  8,  9.  One  of  Middleton's  charges 
against  Justin  is  founded  upon  his  negligent  mode  of  quoting  Scripture ; 
and  it  is  remarkable  that  all  the  instances  are  taken  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. Enquuy,  p.  161.  In  Apol.  i.  p.  95  A  (lOi),  Justin  speaks  of  Moses 
as  feeding  his  uncle's  flock,  rov  ^r^o;  /^.tirpo;  hiov,  in  Arabia.  See  Thirlby 's 
note.  He  says  also  that,  as  the  bodies  of  the  younger  Israelites  grew 
during  their  journey  through  the  wilderness,  their  clothes  grew  also,  dxka, 
xui  TO.  rHiv  viwripav  (^ivtifiaru.)  (Tuvw^ecvi.    DiaJ.  p.  361  D.     See  Deut.  viii.  4. 


I04  Some  Account  of  the 

the  Old  Testament.  The  strictest  verbal  coincidence  is 
observable  in  the  quotations  from  the  Psalms;  for  which 
Thirlby  ^  seems  satisfactorily  to  account,  by  remarking  that  the 
Psalms  always  formed  a  considerable  part  of  the  service  of  the 
Church,  and  thus  were  impressed  more  accurately  on  the 
memories  of  Christians. 

Let  us  now  consider  in  detail  the  passages  in  which  Justin 
expressly  refers  to  the  aTro/xyrj/xovev/jiaTa  Twv  'Attoo-toAcdv. 
Ajf>o/.  i.  p.  75  A  (43).  "And  the  angel  of  God  that  was 
sent  to  her  delivered  his  embassy  in  these  words :  '  Behold 
thou  shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb  by  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
bring  forth  a  Son,  and  He  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  the 
Highest,  and  thou  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus,  for  He  shall 
save  His  people  from  their  sins,'  even  as  they  who  have 
recounted  to  us  all  things  concerning  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  have  taught."  The  former  part  of  this  quotation  is 
found,  though  the  words  are  not  precisely  in  the  same  order, 
in  Luke  i.  31,  32;  the  latter  in  Matt.  i.  21.  Justin  joined 
the  two  quotations  together,  perhaps  from  error  of  memory, 
perhaps  by  design. 

P.  98  B  (90).  "For  the  apostles  in  their  commentaries 
called  the  Gospels  have  left  this  command  upon  record :  That 
Jesus  took  bread,  and  when  He  had  given  thanks,  He  said, 
'  Do  this  in  commemoration  of  Me,  for  this  is  My  body ; ' 
and  in  like  manner  He  took  the  cup,  and  when  He  had 
given  thanks  He  said,  'This  is  My  blood,'  and  delivered  it 
to  them  only."  Here  Justin  evidently  means  to  give  the 
sense,  not  the  exact  words,  of  Scripture. 

P.  98  D  (92).     In  this  place  there  is  no  quotation,  but 
Justin   states   that  the  dTro/wrjixovevfiaTa  Twv  'Attoo-toXwi',  or  the 
cnjyypdfji.ixaTa  tojv  llpo<jir]Twv,  "  writings  of  the  prophets,"  were 
1  P.  239  E. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  105 

read  in  the  assemblies  of  the  Christians  every  Sunday. 
Unless,  therefore,  the  aTroiJ,vy]fjLovevfjLaTa  here  alluded  to  were 
our  present  Gospels,  we  must  suppose  that  a  work,  esteemed 
to  be  of  so  high  authority  as  to  be  publicly  read  in  the 
Church,  had  wholly  disappeared  in  the  interval  between 
Justin  and  Iren^us,  who  recognised  only  our  present  Gospels. 
Is  this  probable  ? 

Dial.  p.  328  B.  "For  they  who  saw  Him  suspended  on 
the  cross,  wagging  their  heads  and  shooting  out  their  lips,  and 
talking  very  mockingly  among  themselves,  uttered  those  words 
which  have  been  recorded  in  the  commentaries  of  the  apostles : 
'He  called  Himself  the  Son  of  God,  let  Him  come  down 
and  walk ;  let  God  save  Him.' "  Justin  in  this  instance  has 
evidently,  in  quoting  from  memory,  mixed  up  with  Matt, 
xxvii.  42,  words  from  Ps.  xxi.  7,  to  which  he  had  just 
referred. 

P.  329  C.  "Holding  His  peace  and  resolving  not  to 
answer  any  of  Pilate's  questions,  as  it  is  written  in  the 
commentaries  of  the  apostles."  This  is  a  reference,  not  a 
quotation. 

P.  331  B.  "For  after  Christ  had  come  up  out  of  the 
river  Jordan,  where  a  voice  had  said  of  Him,  'Thou  art  my 
Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee,'  it  is  written  in  the 
commentaries  of  the  apostles  that  the  devil  drew  near  to 
Him  and  tempted  Him,  saying,  'Worship  me;'  but  Christ 
answered  him,  '  Get  thee  hence,  Satan,  thou  shalt  adore  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve.'"  In  this 
passage  Justin  appears  to  have  referred  to  Luke  iii.  22,  iv.  8, 
but,  quoting  from  memory,  to  have  cited  the  words  of  Ps. 
ii.  7,  instead  of  Luke  iii.  22.  Is  there  not  also  reason  for 
suspecting  that  Justin,  in  arguing  with  a  Jew,  might  think 
that  he  added  weight  to  his  argument  by  substituting  for  the 


io6  Some  Account  of  the 

actual  words  of  the  Gospel,  words  from  the  Old  Testament, 
which  the  Jews  themselves  interpreted  of  the  Messiah  ?  ^  It 
ought,  however,  to  be  observed  that  the  Codex  Bezge  in 
Luke  iii.  22  gives  the  words  as  Justin  quotes  them;  and  that 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,-  who  certainly  quoted  our  Gospels, 
gives  them  in  the  same  manner.  They  appear  also  to  have 
been  extant  in  the  gospel  used  by  the  Ebionites.^ 

P.  331  D.  "In  the  commentaries  written  by  His  apostles 
and  their  followers,  it  is  carefully  stated  that  His  sweat  ran 
down  like  drops  of  blood  upon  the  earth  while  He  prayed, 
saying,  '  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  Me.' "  Here 
Justin  evidently  quotes  Matt.  xxvi.  39,  though  he  adds 
from  Luke  xxii.  44,  a  circumstance  which  gives  great  weight 
to  his  argument;  his  purpose  being  then  to  show  that  the 
prediction  in  Ps.  xxii,  14  was  actually  accomplished  in 
Christ's  sufferings. 

P.  332  B.  "What  was  done  is  written  in  the  apostohc 
commentaries."  And  shortly  after,  "  As  we  have  learnt  from 
the  commentaries."     Here  are  only  references. 

P-  333  B-     "And  yielding  up  the  Ghost  upon  the  cross,  He 

1  Compare  p.  316  D. 

"  "  For  at  the  Lord's  baptism  a  voice  sounded  from  heaven  testifying  to 
the  love,  'Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee.'" 
avTixa  yoZt  fia'm^of/.'ivv  t^  Kvpiu  aT  oupavuv  I'TTri^ricn  ^aivri  fiapru;  riyit'^nf^ivou' 
Ties  l^ov  6/  ffu  aya'PTYiroi,  lyu  ffn/^ifov  ytyivvriKa,  iri.  Padag.  1.  i.  C.  6,  p.  II3> 
ed.  Pot. 

^  Epiphanius,  Har.  x.  or  xxi.  sect.  xiii. ,  ' '  And  there  came  a  voice  from 
heaven  saying,  Thou  art  My  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased. 
And  again,  This  day  have  I  begotten  Thee."  ««/  ^uin  iyivim  Ix  roZ  ovpayov, 
Xiyovffa,  eu  f/,ov  s/  v'lis  o  ayccTrttTOS,  h  soi  rivhoKntTa.  KCtl  'VaXiy,  iya  ff^fitpov 
yiyUvriKa  <n.  In  sect.  iii.  Epiphanius  says  that  the  Ebionites  used  the  Gospel 
of  St.  Matthew  (but  corrupted  and  mutilated,  sect,  xiii.),  and  called  it  the 
Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews,  affirming  that  Matthew  alone  wrote  in 
Hebrew. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  107 

said,  '  Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  commit  My  spirit ; '  even  as 
I  have  learnt  from  the  apostoHcal  commentaries."  This 
quotation  agrees  with  Luke  xxiii.  46.  In  the  received  text 
we  find  "  I  will  commend,"  instead  of  "  I  commend " ;  but 
the  latter  is  marked  as  a  various  reading.  Again,  "It  is 
also  written  in  these  commentaries  that  He  spoke  thus : 
'  Unless  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  that  of  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,' "  which  agrees  with  Matt.  v.  20. 

P-  333  I^-  "These  things  are  shown  to  have  taken  place 
in  the  writings  of  the  apostles."     Here  is  only  a  reference. 

P.  333  E.  "And  the  saying  that  He  gave  to  one  of  the 
apostles  the  surname  of  Peter  is  also  related  in  the  commen- 
taries of  the  apostles ;  and  also  two  other  apostles,  the  sons  of 
Zebedee,  He  surnamed  Boanerges,  that  is,  sons  of  thunder,  as 
a  sign  that  He  was  the  same,"  etc.  Here,  although  there  is  no 
quotation,  there  is  an  evident  allusion  to  Mark  iii.  17. 

P.  334  B.  "The  wise  men  from  Arabia  being  taught  by 
the  star  which  appeared  at  the  time  of  His  birth,  as  it  is 
written  in  the  commentaries  of  His  apostles,  came  to  Him 
and  worshipped  Him.  And  it  is  written  in  the  commentaries 
that  He  rose  again  on  the  third  day  after  His  crucifixion. 
For  some  of  your  nation,  trying  Him,  said,  '  Show  us  a  sign ; ' 
and  He  answered  them,  'An  evil  and  adulterous  generation 
seeketh  a  sign,  but  no  sign  shall  be  given  to  them  but  the  sign 
of  Jonah.' "  In  the  former  part  of  the  passage,  though  there 
is  no  quotation,  there  is  a  manifest  reference  to  the  second 
chapter  of  St.  Matthew ;  and  in  the  latter  part  there  is  an 
almost  exact  verbal  coincidence  with  Matt.  xii.  39. 

P.  327  B.  "  Having  written  thot  He  was  the  Son  of  God  in 
the  commentaries  of  the  apostles."     Here  is  no  quotation. 


io8  So7ne  Account  of  the 

The  inference  which  I  am  disposed  to  draw  from  the  con- 
sideration of  the  above  passages  is,  not  that  Justin  quoted  a 
narrative  of  our  Saviour's  life  and  ministry  agreeing  in  sub- 
stance with  our  present  Gospels,  though  differing  from  them 
in  expression,  but  that  he  quoted  our  present  Gospels  from 
memory.  This  inference  is,  as  it  appears  to  me,  equally 
deducible  from  those  passages  which  he  quotes  without  any 
express  reference  to  the  dTrofivr]fi.ovcviJi.aTa  twv  'Attoo-toAcoj/.  It 
is,  moreover,  necessary  always  to  bear  in  mind,  as  has  been 
already  observed,  that  Justin  does  not  appeal  to  the  New 
Testament  as  an  authority ;  he  wishes  merely  to  give  a  true 
representation  of  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  the  gospel,  and 
for  this  purpose  it  was  sufficient  to  express  the  meaning  with- 
out any  scrupulous  regard  to  verbal  accuracy. 

IV.  It  is  objected  that  "  Justin  has  quoted  from  his  Memoirs 
by  the  Apostles,  what  does  not  exist,  either  in  sense  or  sub- 
stance, in  any  of  our  four  Gospels."  In  p.  315  D,  we  read, 
"  And  when  Jesus  came  to  the  river  Jordan  where  John  was 
baptizing,  and  descended  into  the  water,  fire  was  kindled  in 
Jordan,  and  the  apostles  have  written  that  when  He  came  up 
out  of  the  water,  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  upon  Him  like  a 
dove."  The  construction  of  this  sentence  is  not  very  clear, 
and  it  has,  in  consequence,  been  conjectured  that  we  ought, 
instead  of  a.viQ<^0'q,  to  read  avrjcf)6ai.  Grabe,^  who  has  discussed 
the  passage  at  considerable  length,  retains  the  old  reading, 
and  wishes  to  restrict  the  words,  "the  apostles  wrote," 
to  the  latter  part  of  the  sentence,  so  that  the  authority 
of  the  apostles  is  appealed  to  only  in  confirmation  of  the 
descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  shape  of  a  dove.  This  fact 
Grabe  supposes  Justin  to  have  obtained  from  the  present 
Gospels,  and  to  have  added  the  statement  respecting  the  fire 
from  tradition.  Lardner  appears  disposed  to  acquiesce  in  this 
solution  of  the  difficulty,  which  derives  support  from  the  fact 
1  Spicil.  t.  i.  p.  19. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  109 

that,  in  quoting  from  the  Old  Testament,  Justin  sometimes 
mixes  up  statements  not  found  in  the  sacred  vokmie.^  I  have 
already  referred  to  a  statement  respecting  Joshua,  the  high 
priest,  who,  according  to  Justin,  is  said  to  have  been  clothed 
in  filthy  garments  because  he  had  married  a  fornicatress  :  a 
statement  of  which  there  is  no  vestige  in  the  prophet  Zechariah.^ 
I  referred  also  to  the  following  statement,  in  p.  361  D,  respect- 
ing the  children  of  Israel  in  their  journey  through  the  wilder- 
ness :  "  Whose  shoe-latchets  were  not  broken,  nor  were  the 
shoes  themselves  worn  out,  nor  did  the  garments  grow  old,  but 
those  of  the  youths  grew  larger  as  they  did,"  where,  manifestly 
referring  to  Deut.  viii.  4  and  xxix.  5,  he  has  mixed  up  facts 
derived  from  some  other  source  than  Scripture.  It  is  not, 
therefore,  improbable  that  Justin  obtained  the  statement 
respecting  the  fire  from  tradition,  and  added  it  to  the  gospel 
narrative.  The  learned  prelate,  however,  whose  opinions  on 
this  subject  I  am  venturing  to  controvert,  thinks  that  Justin 
quoted  the  Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews,  which  was  also 
called  the  Gospel  according  to  the  twelve.  For,  according  to 
Epiphanius,^  it  was  recorded  in  that  Gospel  that  after  Christ 
had  ascended  out  of  the  water,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
descended,  and  the  voice  had  come  from  heaven,  a  great  light 
shone  around  the  place.     It  has  been  observed  that  in  Justin 

^  Credibility,  c.  lO,  sect.  viii. 

^  Seep.  103,  note  9.  Thirlby  supposes  Justin  either  to  have  confounded 
Joshua  with  Hosea,  who  was  commanded  to  take  such  a  wife,  i,  2,  or 
to  have  had  in  his  mind  Ezra  x.  18,  where  the  sons  of  Jeshua,  the  son 
of  J  ozadak,  are  said  to  have  had  strange  wives. 

^  Part  of  the  passage  is  quoted  in  p.  144,  note  l,  Ka)  m  avjjx^sv  aoro  row 
uhmoi,  K.  7.  i.  .  .  .  Kc)  ihStis  ^tpiiXafi^i  rov  to'Tov  (p«w;  f/Xya,,  "  And  as  He 
came  out  of  the  water,  etc.  .  .  .  and  straightway  a  great  light  shone 
round  about  the  place."  The  author  of  the  tract  de Baptismo  IIcBreticorum, 
printed  with  Cyprian's  works,  says  that  a  similar  account  was  given  in  an 
heretical  forgery  extant  under  the  title  Prcedicatio  Petri.  "  Item,  quum 
baptizaretur,  ignem  super  aquam  visum.  Quod  in  Evangelic  nitllo  est 
scripium,''  "When  He  was  baptized,  there  was  a  fire  upon  the  face  of  the 
water,  which  is  written  in  no  Gospel,"  p.  30,  ed.  Oxon. 


1  lo  Some  Account  of  the 

the  fire  is  said  to  have  been  lighted  when  Jesus  descended 
into  the  water ;  whereas,  in  the  Gospel  according  to  the 
Hebrews,  the  light  shone  after  Jesus  had  come  up  out  of  the 
water ;  a  difference  not  merely  of  words,  but  of  fact.  The 
learned  prelate,  however,  considers  this  difference  of  no  im- 
portance. To  Dodwell  ^  it  appeared  of  so  much  weight  that  he 
was  induced  to  conclude  from  it  that  Justin  did  not  quote  the 
Ebionite  Gospel,  but  obtained  the  account  from  tradition. 
Lardner  suggests  that  the  words  -rrvp  ovy]^0%  "  fire  was  kindled," 
may  be  nothing  more  than  a  particular  explication  of  the 
words  aveioxOrja-av  ol  ovpavol,  "  the  heavens  were  opened,"  in 
our  present  Gospels.  Is  it  not  more  likely  that  they  arose 
out  of  the  declaration  of  the  Baptist,  that  He  who  was  to  come 
after  him  would  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire  ? 

The  learned  prelate  urges  another  passage,^  in  which  Justin 
quotes  a  saying  of  our  Lord  not  to  be  found  in  our  present 
Gospels,  "  Wherefore  also  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  said,  'Them 
whom  I  shall  catch  unawares  among  you,  even  them  will  I 
judge.' "  This  saying  of  our  Lord  is  also  quoted  by  Clemens 
Alexandrinus  ;  ^  and  because  Clemens  has  on  another  occasion 
expressly  quoted  the  Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews,  the 
learned  prelate  argues  that  both  he  and  Justin  obtained  the 
saying  from  that  Gospel.  But  this  is  surely  to  draw  conclu- 
sions from  very  insufficient  premises.  We  find  in  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles  ^  a  saying  of  our  Lord  not  recorded  in  the  Gospels ; 
why  might  not  the  saying  in  question  have  been  handed  down 
in  the  same  manner  by  tradition  ?  ^ 

'  Diss,  in  Irenmum^  ii.  sect.  ix. 

2  Dial.  p.  267  A. 

s  Quis  dives  salvetur?  sect.  xl.  40,  t.  ii.  p.  957,  ed.  Pot.  Clemens 
does  not  ascribe  the  saying  expressly  to  Christ. 

*  X.  35- 

^  See  Jones  On  the  Canon,  t.  i.  appendix,  part  2,  sect.  xii.  Grabe, 
Spicil.  t.  i.  p.  327. 


IVriiings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 1 1 

I  will  conclude  my  remarks  on  this  interesting  question 
with  the  words  of  an  able  writer/  who,  at  the  same  time  that 
he  protests  against  a  gross  misrepresentation  which  had  been 
made  of  the  learned  prelate's  opinion,  thus  expresses  his 
dissent  from  the  opinion  itself:  "In  fact,  the  modern  German 
divines  appear  to  have  been  the  first  who  thought  the  verbal 
diversity  of  Justin's  quotations  from  the  present  text  of  the 
evangelists  to  be  of  any  consequence.  As  a  question  of 
criticism,  I  own  it  is  a  difficult  one ;  and,  did  I  think  that 
Justin  had  not  quoted  our  present  books,  I  should  not  hesitate 
a  moment  to  avow  it.  But  when  we  reflect  that  there  is  no 
difference  in  \!i\Q  facts  mentioned  ;  that  the  verbal  coincidence 
is  sometimes  exact,  and  sometimes  so  great  as  to  appear  exact 
in  a  translation ;  that  Justin  calls  his  books  by  the  name  of 
Gospels,  and  says  that  they  were  written  by  apostles  and 
apostolic  men,  which  precisely  corresponds  with  ours,  two  of 
which  are  by  apostles  and  two  by  apostolic  men ;  and  that 
Irenaeus  makes  no  mention  of  any  other  books  so  similar  to 
ours  as  Justin's  were,  if  they  be  not  the  same ; — when  we 
reflect  on  these  things,  we  shall  find  it  hard  to  believe  that 
Justin  quoted  any  other  Gospels  than  ours.  If,  however,  it  be 
thought  necessary,  notwithstanding  all  this,  to  grant  that  he 
did  not  quote  our  books,  then  it  will  be  an  inference  scarcely 
less  favourable  to  Christianity,  that  a  set  of  sacred  writings, 
different  from  ours,  did  yet  testify  to  the  truth  of  the  same 
facts." 

^  Everett,  Defence  of  Christianity,  etc.,  p.  474. 


1 1 2  Some  Account  of  the 


CHAPTER    IX. 

CONTAINING  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  THE  PRECEDING  CHAPTERS 
FROM  THE  WRITINGS  OF  TATIAN,  ATHENAGORAS,  AND 
THEOPHILUS   OF    ANTIOCH,    WITH   ADDITIONAL   REMARKS. 

Page  6,  note  2.  Tatian  uses  the  words  ^coXoyetv,  BioiroiCw 
to  signify  what  we  express  by  the  word  deify,  pp.  149  D,  157  B. 
Athenagoras  uses  OcoXoyCuv  in  a  sense  approaching  more  nearly 
to  that  in  which  it  is  used  in  the  Hortatory  Address,  Legaiio, 
pp.  18  D,  24  C.     Oeoiroiexv  means  to  deify,  in  24  B,  D. 

P.  8.  In  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho}  Justin  alludes  to  the 
charge  which  was  brought  against  the  Christians  of  eating 
human  flesh,  and  of  indulging  in  the  most  horrible  sensuality. 
Tatian  alludes  to  the  same  charge,  and  complains  of  the 
injustice  of  condemning  the  Christians  merely  because  they 
were  Christians.^  Athenagoras  ^  complains  that  the  Christians 
were  not  allowed  the  liberty,  which  all  other  subjects  of  the 
Roman  Empire  enjoyed,  of  worshipping  the  gods  whoni  they 
preferred ;  and  that  they  were  persecuted  only  on  account  of 
their  name :  he  affirms  also  that  no  proof  was  ever  brought 
forward  that  they  were  guilty  of  the  crimes  laid  to  their  charge. 
The  same  calumnies  are  noticed  by  Theophilus.* 

P.  8,  note  2.  Theophilus  also  plays  upon  the  words 
"Christ"  and  "good."^ 

^  P.  227  B,  referred  to  in  chap.  vi.  note  3,  p.  86. 

2  Pp.  149  B,  158  D,  162  D,  164  A. 

'  Legatio,  sub  in.  pp.  2  C,  3  A,  4  C,  7  D,  34  D,  38  B. 

4  L.  iii.  pp.  119  B,  126  D. 

*  \yaj  fAi  ovv  ofioXoya  iivai  Hpirriavost  tx'i  Ifofica  ro  &iofiXis  ovo[/.a.  touto, 
iX-^iXoiv  ivxp>i(rT<i;  ilvcci  tu  0=f,  "  For  I  declare  myself  to  be  a  Christian, 
and  I  bear  the  name  of  Theophilus,  hoping  to  be  serviceable  to  God." 
L.  i.  p.  69  B.     Compare  p.  77  B. 


Writings  of  Justi7t  Martyr.  1 1 3 

P.  8.  In  Apol.  i.  p.  64  D  (25),  Justin  says  that  the 
Christians  prayed  for  the  Emperors.  So  also  Athenagoras, 
Leg.  sub  fin.     Theophilus,  1.  1.  p.  76  D. 

P.  17,  note  5.  Athenagoras  speaks  of  "the  common,  inborn 
notion."  '  We  find  also  "  the  eternal  judgments."  Dial. 
p.  246  A. 

P.  48,  note  3.  Athenagoras  2  quotes  the  same  passage  from 
the  second  Epistle  of  Plato,  and  thus  argues  upon  it :  ap'  ovv  6 
Tov  dtStov  vovv  KoX  A-oyo)  KaraXa/jL/Savofievov  Trepivor^cras  ©eov,  /cat 
Ta  iTTLcrvfJifSe/^rjKOTa  avT(3  c^ciTTcbv,  to  ovtws  ov,  to  fxovocjivk?,  to 
ayaObv  cltt  avTOV  dTro)(€6fJi€vov.  onep  icrrlv  aXrjO^ia'  koI  nepl 
tt/dcStt;?  Svvd/xewi-  Kol  ws  TTcpt  TOV  TTavTOJV  /3a(rtAea  Trdvra  i(TTi,  Kai 
Ikuvov  eVcKCv  TravTa,  /(at  iKetvo  atVtov  TrdtvTOJv"  /cat  Trept  8vo  Koi 
rpCa-  Bevrepov  8e  Tre/at,  tol  SeuTepa*  Kat  rpLTOv  wepl,  to.  Tpira'  Trept 
T(ov  e/c  Twv  alcrO'rjTiov  yrjs  T€  Kat  ovpavov  Xeyop-iviov  ycyovevat 
fiei^ov  7]  KaO'  iavrov  Td\r]$€<;  fxaOelv  evofxicrev  ;  rj  ovk  €(rTLV  etTrctv. 
He  had  just  before  said,  nXarcov  Se  to,  aXAa  i-n-e^wv,  koI  auTos 
ets  Te  TOV  dyevvT^TOv  ©eov  /cat  tous  vtto  toC  ayevvT^TOv  cts  koo-/x.ov 
ToS  ovpavov  yeyovoTas,  tovs  tc  7rXav7^Ta9  Kat  tov9  aTrAavets  dcmpa<i, 
Kat  cts  Aatfiovas  Tcp,v€f  Trept  wv  Aatp,ova)V  avTOS  aTra^toiv  Aeyetv 
TOis  Trept  avrwv  elprjKocrtv  Trpoui^aiv  d^toi.  Then  follows  a 
quotation  from  the  TimcEus  of  Plato.^  If  Athenagoras  had 
supposed  that  the  writings  of  the  Greek  philosopher  contained 
any  intimations  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  here,  surely,  was 
a  favourable  opportunity  for  introducing  the  subject :  but  he 
is  silent. 

P.  39.  Athenagoras,*  in  like  manner,  appeals  to  the  belief 
of  the  Christians  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  for  the  pur- 

'  De  Mart.  Res.  p.  54  D. 
^  Legatio,  p.  26  A. 
'  Tom.  Hi.  p.  40,  ed.  vSerr 
"■  Legatio,  p.  1 1  A. 
H 


114  Some  Accotmt  of  the 

pose  of  defending  them  against  the  charge  of  atheism  :  rts  ovv 
OVK  av  a.Tropy](Tai,  Aeyorras  ®eov  irarepa  kul  vlov  ®eov  Koi  Trviv/xa 
ayiov,  SeiKvvvras  avTMV  koI  Tr]v  iv  rfj  cvwcrci  Svva/Mv,  kol  t^v  iv 
rfj  Ta^€t  OLaLpecTLv,  aKovcra<;  aOeov?  KoAov/xei'ovs  ',  he  had  before 
said  :  ov8e  rjfjicci;  aOeot,  v(f>  ov  Aoyw  SeSrjfJuovpyrjTai  Koi  tw  Trap* 
avTOV  irvevfiaTL  crvv€)(eTaL  ra  Trai/ra,  tovtov  ciSores  kol  KpaTovvres 
©ew.^  In  a  subsequent  passage  we  find,  vtto  /xovov  8e  -n-apa- 
TTip.irop.evoi  TOVTOV,  ov  to-cos  (f.  to-aori)  ®eov,  Koi  tov  Trap  avToC 
Xoyov  elSivaL,  rts  y)  tov  iraiSbs  Trpos  tov  Trarepa  Ivott;?,  rt's  rj 
TOV  Trarpos  Trpos  tov  vlov  KOtvwvta,  ti  to  irvevfia,  tis  17  twv 
TO(roi)Ta)j'  'ivwcris  koX  Staipecis,  ivovfjbivwv  tov  TTvevp.aTO'i,  tov 
TTo-iSoSj  ToD  TTttTpos.^  And  again,  ws  yap  ©cov  ^ap,€v,  Kat  viov 
TOV  Xoyov  auToC,  Kat,  Trvev/Aa  aytov,  cvovp,€va  /xev  KaTa  Swa/^iv, 
TOV  TTttTepa,  TOV  viov,  TO  Trvevp,a"      oti  vovs,  Aoyos,  (ro<f}La  vios  tov 

TTttTpOS"        KOL     aTTOppOta,     U)S    ^WS    OLTTO    TTVpO'S,    TO     TTVeVflU.^  With 

respect  to  Theophilus,  it  is  well  known  that  he  is  the  earliest 
Christian  writer  who  has  used  the  word  Tpias,  "  Trinity."  In 
his  second  book  he  is  commenting  on  the  work  of  creation,  as 
described  in  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis.  Having  assigned  a 
reason  why  the  sun  and  moon  were  not  created  till  the  fourth 
day,  he  goes  on  to  say  that  the  sun  is  a  type  of  God,  the  moon, 
of  man ;  and  then  adds,  wo^auTws  kol  at  Tpets  y^p-ipai  (f.  ins. 
Trpo)  Twv  (j>w(TTrjpo}v  yeyovvtai  tvttoi  eto"t  t^s  TptaSos,  toO  ©eov,  /cai 
Tou  Xoyov  avTov,  koI  t^s  cro(f>La?  a^TOV.  TCTctpTu)  Sc  Tvwta  (f.  totto)) 
coTTtv  avdpwTro<i  6  Trpoo^Se^s  To£i  <fi(i}T0<;,  tva  i[)  ©eos,  Xoyos,  (Tocfiia, 
av^ptoTTos.*  It  is  not  very  easy  to  discover  wherein  the  corre- 
spondence between  the  types  and  antitypes  consists ;  one  thing, 
however,  is  certain,  that,  according  to  the  notions  of  Theophilus, 
God,  His  Word,  and  His  Wisdom  constitute  a  Trinity,  and,  it 
should  seem,  a  Trinity  of  persons ;  for  man,  whom  he  after- 
wards adds,  is  a  person.  One  remarkable  circumstance  is, 
that  Theophilus  assigns  to  the  third  Person  the  title  a-o<f>ia, 

1  Legatio,  p.  7  A.  2  p_  12  C. 

»  P.  27  A.  *  P.  94  D- 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 1 5 

"Wisdom,"^  which  is  usually  assigned  by  the  early  Fathers  to 
the  second,  as  in  the  passage  just  quoted  from  Athenagoras.- 

P.  40,  note  I.  Immediately  after  one  of  the  passages 
just  quoted  from  Athenagoras,  follow  these  words,  koX  ovk 
€7ri  TOOTOts  TO  OeoXoyiKOv  yj/xwu  tcrTarat  {xipo<;,  dAAa  kol  irXrjOo^ 
'AyyeAcDV  /cat  XctTorpywv  (jiafxtv,  ovs  o  Trotrjrrj'i  kol  Syjfiiovpyo'i 
Koa-fxov  ©€0S  Sto,  Tov  Trap'  avTov  \oyov  SuveLfxe  kol  Stera^e  irepC 
T€  TO,  <rToi)(eLa  civat  kol  tov?  ovpavov<;,  kol  tov  Koa-fiov  kol  to, 
€v  avTw,  KOL  TTjv  TouVwv  €VTa$iav.^  Here  Athenagoras  says 
nothing  of  any  worship  to  be  paid  to  angels,  though  his  words 
seem  to  imply  that,  in  order  fully  to  state  the  notions  of  the 
Christians  respecting  the  Deity,  it  was  necessary  to  add  that 
they  believed  in  the  existence  of  a  multitude  of  angels  who 
were  to  have  their  attention  continually  directed  to  the  ele- 
ments, heavens,  etc.  We  should  bear  in  mind  that  Justin 
and  Athenagoras  were  replying  to  a  charge  of  atheism ;  and 
they  appear  to  have  thought  that  they  strengthened  their  case 
by  saying,  "  We  not  only  believe  in  God,  but  also  that  He  has 
subject  to  Him  a  multitude  of  ministering  angels."  It  is  to 
be  observed  that,  according  to  the  statement  of  Athenagoras, 
God  distributed  to  those  angels  their  various  offices  through 
the  instrumentality  of  the  Ao'yos ;  so  that  they  were,  in  fact, 
the  ministers  of  the  Aoyo?. 

P.   42,   note    I.      Thus  Tatian,  ©cos  6  kuO'  rjfia^  ovk  I^" 

^Compare  1.  i.  p.  74  B  :  o  Qto;  ?;«  rou  Xiyou  oclroZ  xa)  Trii  iroipia;  'fTTomift 
TO.  Tavra,  ra  yap  X'oyu  avToZ  IrTipta^riiTav  oi  oiipavoi,  xa)  rui  "^vivfjt-ccri  ccurov 
■jcata.  n  'ivvafii;  alrut.  I  give  the  passage  as  it  stands  in  the  Benedictine 
edition ;  the  latter  part  is  a  quotation  from  Ps.  xxxiii.  Again,  1.  ii.  p. 
96  D  :  inrt  fiiiv  xai  a;  fiotihia.;  XfV^'^^  °  Bios  ivpi/rxlTai  Xiyuv,  TToino'cafiiv 
aySpw^ov  xar'  t'lxova  xcci  xaf  o/iciaiiriv'  ovx  aXXta  Vi  tivi  ilpnxt,  •Xotriiruft.it,  aXX' 
>)  TM  lavrou  Xoycii  xa]  tyi  iauTou  ff/npia-, 

^  Theophilus  himself  gives  the  title  tnxpla.  to  the  second  Person  in  1.  ii. 
pp.  88  C,  100  A,  and  to  God  absolutely,  1.  i.  p.  71  B, 
3  Legatio,  p.  1 1  A. 


1 1 6  Some  Account  of  the 

a-vcTTacnv  iv  xpovta,  fxovos  avapxo'S  wv,  kol  airos  vTrap^oiv  twv 
oA,wv  ap-)(rj.^  Again,  tov  aviDVOfJLacTTOv  ©eov."^  Again,  utto  tov 
TravTcov  S-rffiiovpyov.^  Again,  6  8e  twj/  oAa>v  SeaTrorrjs.^  Unless, 
as  was  before  remarked,  it  should  be  thought  that  some  of 
these  passages  are  to  be  understood  of  God  absolutely.  In 
Athenagoras  we  find,  cva  ©eov — tov  toSSc  tov  Travros  ttoii^t^v, 
avrov  [iXv  ov  yf.v6p.€vov  (ort  to  ov  ov  ytyverat,  dWa  to  fi7]  ov)  iravTa 
8k  Slo.  tov  Trap'  avTOv  \6yov  ir^TroiriKOTa,  etc.^  Again,  Iva  toj' 
8r]fiLOvpy6v  T(x)v  oAwr  vowv  dyivvrjTov  ®^ov.^  Again,  6  TOvSe  tov 
Travros  877/Atorpyos  Kat  TraTrjpJ  Again,  dTroTrt'rrTovcrt  tw  (1.  tov) 
Xoyo)  ^ewpi^Tov  ®€ov.^  Theophilus,  in  like  manner,  uses  the 
expressions  6  ©cos  dyewrjTO?  wv  kol  dvaXXoLWTO<i  ^ — TOV  TTOirjTrjv 
Kcl  SrjfiLovpyov  Tcov  oAcov — o  jjikv  Tot  ye  ©eos  Kai  iraTrjp  koH  KTioriys 
Ttiiv  oA.wv.^*' 

P.  42,  note  3.  Theophilus  ^^  supposes  the  following  objec- 
tion to  be  made  : — "  You  say  that  God  cannot  be  limited  to  a 
place,  yet  you  say  that  He  walked  in  Paradise."  Theophilus 
answers,  "  It  is  true  that  God  cannot  be  limited  to  a  place,  or 
be  found  in  a  place ;  for  He  has  no  place  of  His  rest  (Isa. 
Ivi.  i).  But  His  Word,  by  whom  He  made  all  things,  being 
His  Power  and  Wisdom,  assuming  the  person  of  the  Father 
and  Lord  of  the  universe,  came  into  Paradise  in  the  person 
of  God,  and  conversed  with  Adam.  For  the  Divine  Scripture 
itself  instructs  us  that  Adam  said  that  he  heard  a  voice ;  but 
what  is  this  voice  else  than  the  Word  of  God,  who  is  His 
Son." 

P.   57.     Tatian  thus  states  his  view  of  the  Christian  doc- 
'  P.  144  C.  2  p  144  D, 

3  P.  145  D.  "P.  151  D. 

'  Legatio,  p.  5  C.  *  P.  7  A.     See  also  p.  10  A. 

'  P.  13  B.  «  P.  24  B.     See  pp.  5  B,  26  A. 

»P.  82C.     See  p.  71  C.  lop.  iioB.     See  pp.  122  D,  89  A. 

"  L.  ii.  p.  100  A.     Theophilus  calls  God  To-Ttas  tZv  oXav,  "  the  place  of 
the  universe,"  1.  2,  p.  81  D,  and  laurov  ri^og,  "  His  place,"  p.  88  B. 


Wrilings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 1 7 

trine  respecting  the  second  Person  in  the  Trinity  :^  "  God  was 
in  the  beginning ;  but  we  understand  the  beginning  to  be  the 
power  of  the  Word.  For  the  Lord  of  all  things,  being  Him- 
self the  substance  of  all  things,  with  reference  to  the  creation 
which  did  not  yet  exist,  was  alone  \  but  inasmuch  as  He 
comprehended  all  power,  and  all  things,  visible  and  invisible, 
subsisted  in  Him,  all  things  were  with  Him.  For  with  Him 
also  by  a  rational  power  subsisted  the  Word,  who  was  in  Him. 
By  the  unity  of  His  will  the  Word  went  forth ;  and  the  Word 
going  forth  not  ineffectually  (but  so  as  to  produce  an  effect, 
viz.  the  creation  of  the  universe),  became  the  first-born  work 

^  ©s«y  XV  b  ''■fX^'  TW  IX  apx^''  Aoyou  luvccf/,iv  -rapiiX^(pa/^lv'  o  yap  '^iff'Tory,; 
raif  eXai-j,  avro;  vTa,pX"^  ''"""  'tavTo;  yi  U'Z'itrraffis,  Kara  fAv  Ttiv  /KJiSi'Tw 
■ysyjyji/tsvwv  •jtomviv  //.ovoi  n»'  xa^o  Ti  -ratra  ivyxfii;  oparav  ri  xa)  aoparm^  ttiiroi 
vroffTaa-i;  »jv,  <ruy  aiiru  rx  rriivTce.'  triiv  ahrZ  yap  ^la  XoyiKr,;  ^wdfita;  aure; 
xai  *  Koyos,  OS  «»  h  alrZ,  iviiTTtiiri'  hX^fiXTi  Ss  Tii;  a-rkorrriTo;  alroZ  ■rpa'PT'/iia 
koyog'  0  it  koyos,  oli  xara  xivou  y^upwas,  tpyov  -rp&iTOToxov  <rov  TTMivf/.d'.rD; 
(r,  «arp6s)  yiynrai'  reumy  "(Tfiiv  rou  xiffftov  rhv  ap^^^nv.  yiyovi  Vt  xara 
[itpifffioy,  eu  Kara  a-fftixaTt)y.  to  yap  a^iir/4.rjly  rod  ^purov  xi^dpiirrai'  to  Ss 
fiipiffffiy  oixovoy.ices  rtiv  alpigiy  -rpoaXafiov  ohx  iy'hia  tom  ohy  I'lXyirrTai  •n-ro'irixii. 
■aiir<jrip  yap  k-jro  fcias  da'Sos  ayd'TTirai  fiiv  ■jrvpa  ^oXXa,  rtj;  Ss  -rpuTvi;  SaSos 
oia,  Triy  c'^a\}/iv  Tuy  -roXXuv  SaSiwv  ovx  IXarTovTai  to  <pas'  ovru  xa]  o  Xoyos, 
•rpoiXSuy  IX  rns  Tov  "prarpoi  ovvdy^ius,  ohx  aXoyoy  'rivoir,xi  Toy  ytyiyvYixora. 
xai  yap  auro;  iyu  XaXoJ,  xai  Ufii7(  dxouiTi,  xai  ov  h^'Tov  S/a  T>J5  fiiTa^dirius 
Tou  Xoyov  xivo;  »  ■rpocroi/.iXuy  Xoyoo  yiyvoftai'  -rpojiaXXli/nivos  ii  tmv  IfiauTou 
^aivfjv,  iiaxofffiily  Tjjv  \y  bfjuy  axoo-fifirov  uXnv  fporpnijt.ai.  xai  xaSd-rip  o  x'oyos, 
sw  apx'n  yiyy/ih);,  aynyivyyiin  t>)v  xaf  hf^as  ■xoirKriv,  auToi  iauTu  T»y  vXriv 
itlf^iovpyno-as'  o'uTid  xayu  xaTa  Trty  tov  Xoyov  filf^'/iiriy  dyayiyyriSiis,  xa)  Tnv  tou 
aXnlov;  xardXti^J/iv  ■rs^ro/jj^svof,  f^-Tappu^fiiXio  rri;  ffuyyiyou;  tlXtis  Tr,y  (ruyy^uviy, 
p.  145  A.  This  difficult  passage  has  furnished  ample  room  for  discussion. 
Petavius,  and  the  author  of  the  Dissertation  on  Tatian,  in  the  Oxford 
edition,  thought  that  by  x'oyov  lvyay.iv,  "the  power  of  the  Word,"  was 
meant  the  same  as  by  Xoyixra  Iwdf^iu;  which  follows,  that  is,  the  power 
of  reason  by  which  God  produces  all  things ;  in  other  words,  that,  before 
the  emission  of  the  Aiyos,  He  existed  only  in  posse,  not  in  esse.  Bull, 
on  the  contrary,  and  Le  Nourry  contend,  that  by  Xoyou  ^vvafug  we  must 
understand  the  power  of  the  Word,  that  is,  the  Word  Himself,  referring 
in  support  of  this  interpretation  to  h  Tt  tou  Xoyov  livayA;  in  p.  146  D. 
Ihe  expression  Xoyixi^;  luydfuu;  occurs  again  in  p.    146  B.     Aiyos  yap 


1 18  So7ne  Account  of  the 

of  the  Father.  Him  (the  Word)  we  know  to  be  the  beginning 
of  the  universe." 

"  He  was  begotten  by  division,  not  by  abscission.  For  tliat 
which  is  cut  off  is  separated  from  the  original ;  but  that  which 
is  divided,  voluntarily  taking  its  part  in  the  economy,  does 
not  impoverish  Him  from  Whom  it  is  taken.  As  many  fires 
are  lighted  from  one  torch,  yet  the  light  of  the  first  torch  is 
not  diminished  by  the  lighting  of  many  from  it ;  so  the  Word 
(or  Reason)  proceeding  from  the  power  of  the  Father,  did  not 
render  Him  who  begat  destitute  of  Word  (or  Reason).  For 
I  speak,  and  you  hear ;  yet  I  who  converse  am  not,  by  the 
transfer   of   the  words,   rendered  destitute  of  the  word;  but 

itovpiivios,  Tviv/icc  ytyovui;  a.'Vo  tov  •nxTpos,  xai  Koyo;  ix  ryt;  \oyntns  ^vvccfiini;, 
where  the  Oxford  editor  translates  Ik  rtit  Xoymiis  iuvdf^cnus,  "Ex  potentia 
divina  rou  xiyou  productrice."     Petavuis  also  differs  from  Bull  respecting 

the    translation    of  the   words   S/a    Xoyixft;    Iwd/t^tas    avros    na)   0    Aiyos,  OS  hv 

IV  auTu,  uTiffTtiin,  which  the  former  renders  "per  rationalem  vim  Aiyos  ipse, 
qui  in  eoerat,  extitit:"  the  latter,  "per  rationalem potenliam  turn  ipse,  turn 
K'oyo;  qui  in  ipso  ei-at,  substitit."  I  have  followed  Petavius,  thinking  his 
translation  more  agreeable  both  to  the  construction  of  the  sentence,  and 
to  the  whole  scope  of  the  passage  ;  being  further  confirmed  in  this  opinion 
by  a  corresponding  passage  of  TerluUian,  quoted  by  the  Oxford  editor, 
"Ante  omnia  Deus  erat  solus,  quia  nihil  aliud  extrinsecus  preeter  ilium, 
Cccteru/zi  ne  turn  quidem  solus:  habebat  enim  seeum,  quam  habebat  in 
semetipso  Kationem  suam  scilicet," — contra  Fraxeam,  c.  5.  The  Oxford 
editor  suggests  very  plausibly  that  we  should  read  ahrov  instead  of  ahroc. 
In  p.  155  D,  Tatian  speaks  of  demons  who  were  smitten,  X'oyai  BioZ  luvd- 
fiiu;.  We  find  xiyou  "Swdfiu,  p.  1 57  C,  with  reference  to  the  healing  of 
diseases.  Bull  translates  the  words  hXrifj,a.ri  li  rn;  a-rXorr,To;  ahroZ  literally 
by  the  words  "  Voluntatc  auteni  siniplicitatis  sucz  ;  "  and  Waterland  is  angry 
with  Whitby  for  not  allowing  the  words  to  appear  as  they  lie  in  the 
author,  without  the  mean  artifice  of  giving  them  a  false  turn.  Bj/  the 
'will  of  His  simplicity  the  Word  p7-occeded  forth,  tom.  iii.  p.  271.  I  wish 
that  Bull  and  Waterland  had  told  us  the  exact  meaning  which  ought  to 
be  attached  to  the  words.  By  the  will  of  His  simplicity  I  conceive  that 
Tatian  meant  to  express  the  simplicity  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the 
consequent  unity  of  the  divine  will. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 1 9 

sending  forth  my  voice,  I  design  to  reduce  into  order  the 
confused  matter  in  you.  And  as  the  AVord,  being  begotten 
in  the  beginning,  begat  in  turn  the  creation  in  which  we  are, 
having  formed  matter  for  His  own  use ;  so  I  also,  being 
begotten  again  after  the  imitation  of  the  Word,  and  having 
arrived  at  the  comprehension  of  the  truth,  reduce  into  order 
the  confusion  of  kindred  matter."  In  this  passage  we  find 
the  notion  respecting  the  subsistence  of  the  Aoyos  from 
eternity  in  a  state  of  most  intimate  union  with  the  Father, 
which  I  have  stated  to  be  common  among  the  Ante-Nicene 
Fathers,  but  not  to  be  clearly  expressed  by  Justin. ^  When, 
too,  Tatian  says  that  the  Aoyos  was  not  only  in,  but  with  the 
Father,  he  appears  to  intend  to  express  a  distinct  personality. 
Waterland  has  observed,  that  he  speaks  only  of  a  temporal 
generation. 2  In  order  to  explain  the  mode  of  it,  he  uses  the 
same  illustration  of  a  fire  which  Justin  had  used ;  he  dis- 
tinguishes, however,  between  the  words  "  to  divide "  and 
"  to  cut  off,"  which  Justin  has  used  indifferently.  The  in- 
ference apparently  intended  to  be  drawn  from  the  comparison 
with  a  fire  is,  that  the  substance  of  the  Father  was  not 
divided  in  consequence  of  the  generation  of  the  Ao'yos.  The 
intent  of  the  subsequent  illustration,  taken  from  the  human 
voice,  is  less  clear,  and  the  illustration  itself  open,  perhaps,  to 
some  objection.     It  is  also  used  by  Justin.^ 

It  will  be  observed  that  Tatian  calls  the  Aoyos  the  beginning 
of  the  universe,  tovtov  Lo-fxev  tov  Kocr/xov  rrjv  ap)(ijv.  This  title 
I  conceive  to  have  been  derived  from  Prov.  viii.  22:  "The 
Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of  His  way,  before  His 
works  of  old,"  which  is  twice  *  quoted  by  Justin  in  proof  of 
the  generation  of  the  Word  to  create  the  world ;  though  he 
does  not  apply  the  title  apxyj  to  the  Aoyos.  Bull  supposes 
Tatian  to  have  meant  by  the  word  dpxr]  the  idea  and  exemplar 

^  P.  44-  *  Vol.  iii.  p.  270. 

8  Dm/,  p.  284  B.  *  Dial.  pp.  284  D,  359  A. 


I20  Some  Account  of  the 

of  the  universe,  which  was  always  present  to  the  Deity ;  and 
thus  in  one  sense  it  might  be  said  that  the  universe  was 
present  to  the  Deity  before  the  creation ;  in  its  a.px^>  ^"^  prin- 
ciple, or  idea,  that  is,  in  the  Aoyos.i  If  this  was  Tatian's 
meaning,  we  must  allow  that  he  has  expressed  it  very  im- 
perfectly ;  yet  I  seem  to  discover  more  traces  of  the  influence 
of  Gentile  philosophy  on  his  language  and  opinions  than  on 
those  of  his  master  Justin. 

Let  us  proceed  to  Athenagoras.  Defending  the  Christians 
against  the  charge  of  atheism,  he  says  :  ^  "  I  have  sufficiently 
shown  that  we  are  not  atheists ;  we  who  hold  one  God,  Un- 
begotten,  Eternal,  Invisible,  not  subject  to  suffering,  incompre- 
hensible, not  circumscribed  by  place,  conceived  only  by  the 

^  "Sed  et  hoc  voluit  significare  Tatlanus,  Deo  ante  conditum  mundum 
etiam  ipsum  quodammodo  mundum  pr?esentem  fuisse ;  quum  ipsi  revera 
prsesens  fuerit  o  Aoyos  mundi  principium,  qui  et  idea  est  et  exemplar,  sive 
ars  divina,  qua  Pater  universa,  quum  voluit,  molitus  est."  Def.  Fid.  Nic. 
sect.  iii.  c.  6. 

x,u.t  axUTuX'/i'Trov  xai  a^Mpi^Tov,  vu  f/,ovu  xa,i  Xoyto  xaTuXa/^fiavo/iivov,  (pur)  xa.) 
xdXXit  xai  ■Ttvivf/.ari  xou  ovvoi/iei  dvixoiYiyfiTtti  'H'lpn^ofiivoVj  yip'  ou  yiyiv/iTai  to 
Toiv  S/a  Tov  ituTov  X'oyov  xcci  ^laxixofffifiTiti  xca  truyxpaTiirai,  Siov  ciyovns,  ixayZs 
fioi  oioiixrai.  voovf/-sv  yap  xa.)  v'lov  vov  0=«o'  xcd  //.vi  f/,oi  yiXot'ov  tis  vh/aio'h  to 
v'lov  I'lvai  TO)  SiCfi.  oil  yap,  as  rroiriTcci  fiv^oiroiovffiv,  ol/ohj  fiiXTiovg  toiv  d,\6 poire ui 
oiixvuvTis  Tois  hou;,  n  ■^ripi  tou  &iou  xa)  Trarpo;,  n  -TTip)  rou  v'lou  •?fi(P(ovn»afAi)i' 
dXX'  iimv  0  v'los  rou  Qmu  A.oyos  tou  "XaTpo;,  Iv  <?£a  xai  ivipyiia.  ^pos  auTov  yap 
xai  ?/  avTou  ^dvTU  tyiviTO,  ivog  ovTos  tou  ^aTpog  xa)  tou  v'iou'  ovtos  Se  tou  uiou 
iv  ^aTpif  xa)  varpos  Iv  ulu,  iv'ot'/iti  xa)  ^uydfiti  ■X'viuf/.aros'  voug  xa)  \oyos  tou 
Tarpos,  0  vios  tou  iiiou,  is  Vi  2;'  uvipfioXriv  ffui/iiriu;  axo'Sih  ufjuy  'i'^mriy  o  ifals  ti 
jiouXiTat,  \pZ  Ota  fipa^iojy'  rrpuTOV  yivvny^a  iTvai  rm  -JtaTp)^  ou^  &is  yivo/mvov  (s| 
dp^riS  yap  0  ©so;,  vou;  a'lOios  uv,  iiX^''  "■'''"'^S  I"  ioiUTai  tov  Xoyov,  aidiais  Xoyixo; 
fcv)  dXX'  MS  Tuv  uXixuv  \uf/,'7fdyTcav,  diToiou  (pivicas  xa)  yTiS  (f.  ovoias  ipv(ntas  xa) 
yivous)  o^iias  t/'H'oxtifiivan  oix>iv,  f/,Sfiiyftivo>v  tuv  "pra^uy-irTipiay  "Xpo;  to,  xouipoTipa 
It'  auToTs,  t^ia  xa)  hipyiia  ihai  vpoiX^dv.  auvaon  oi  Tu  X'oyta  xa)  to  Tpofnrixov 
TviSjua,  Kvpios  yap,  <P'r)ff)v,  txTia'i  fit,  oip^hv  io&iv  avTou  us  'ipya  auTou,  xa)  Toi 
xa)  auTo  TO  itipyouv  to7s  ix(piiivouin  Tpo^nTixus  ayiov  Tviufia,  efroppoiav  i'lveci 
^afi'it  TOU  @ii)v,  KToppiov  xa)  i'rava<pipofiivDv,  as  dxTTva  hx'iov.      Leg',  p.   10  A. 


Wriiings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 2 1 

mind  and  reason,  surrounded  by  ineffable  light  and  beauty, 
the  Spirit  and  Power,  by  Whom,  through  His  Word,  every- 
thing was  made  and  adorned  and  is  preserved.  We  acknow- 
ledge also  a  Son  of  God;  and  let  no  one  think  it  ridiculous 
that  there  should  be  a  Son  of  God.  For  we  deem  not  of  God 
and  the  Father,  or  of  the  Son,  as  the  poet's  fable,  who  repre- 
sent the  gods  as  no  better  than  men.  The  Word  of  the 
Father  is  the  Son  of  God,  in  idea  and  operation.  For  by 
Him  and  through  Him  were  all  things  made,  the  Father  and 
the  Son  being  one  :  the  Son  being  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  in  the  Son,  by  the  unity  and  power  of  the  Spirit.  The 
Mind  and  Word  of  God  is  the  Son  of  God." 

"  But  if  you  (O  Emperors),  through  the  excellence  of  your 
understanding,  are  desirous  to  inquire  what  the  Son  means,  I 
will  briefly  explain  myself.  He  is  the  First-begotten  to  the 
Father,  not  as  if  made  (for  from  the  beginning  God,  being  the 
eternal  Mind,  had  within  Himself  the  Word  or  Reason,  being 
from  eternity  rational),  but  as  if  proceeding  forth  to  be  the 
idea  and  operating  cause  of  all  material  things,  of  whatever 
nature  and  kind,  which  are  subjected  as  a  vehicle  to  Him,  the 
denser  parts  being  mixed  with  the  lighter.  The  prophetic 
Spirit  agrees  with  what  I  say :  '  The  Lord,'  He  says,  '  formed 
me  the  beginning  of  His  ways  to  His  works.'  Though  we 
also  say  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  Who  works  in  those  who  speak 
prophetically,  is  an  emanation  from  the  Deity,  flowing  forth 
and  reflected  as  a  ray  of  the  sun." 

In  another  passage,^  Athenagoras   says  to   the   Emperors 

^  'ipi^oiri  a(p'  laurm  xeci  rhv  t^ovpcivicv  fiaftXiiav  l^ira^uv,  a;  ya,f  v^h,  ■jearfi 
Koi  v'lu,  itatra,  icix^ipuTai,  uvahv  rhv  fiafiXtiav  tiXtxpiiri  {fiaeriXiuv  yap  4'''X''  '" 
X^'P^'  Qsi'i',  p*)''  TO  vpiiip'/]Tixov  vrtiufita)  oSras  h)  ru  Ssai  xai  rai  ■xap  ccurav  Xtyoj, 
via  yoov/jtivif  dy,tpiirrai,  vatra.  ii'^roTiTixxai.  LegattO,  p.  1 7  D-  We  find  in 
p.  15  C,  "xaiTO,  yap  0  0ioi  lirriv  uvto;  auTui,  (fus  iTpofirov,  xofffioi  nXiio;, 
-rviZfia,  iutafi.!;,  Xoyss.  "For  God  Himself  is  all  things  in  Himself, 
inaccessible  light,  a  perfect  world,  a  spirit,  power,  the  Word." 


1 2  2  Some  Account  of  the 

whom  he  is  addressing,  "You  may  estimate  the  heavenly 
empire  by  your  own ;  for  as  all  things  are  subject  to  you, 
father  and  son,  who  have  received  the  empire  from  above  (for 
the  prophetic  Spirit  says  that  the  soul  of  the  king  is  in  the 
hand  of  God,  Prov.  xxi.  i),  so  all  things  are  subject  to  one 
God  and  to  His  Word,  Who  is  conceived  to  be  the  Son, 
inseparable  from  Him." 

In  the  former  of  these  passages  we  find  the  subsistence  of 
the  Adyos  from  eternity  in  a  state  of  intimate  union  with  the 
Father  expressly  declared ;  and  though  Athenagoras  does  not 
use  the  term,  yet,  as  Bull  has  observed,^  he  evidently  had  in 
his  mind  the  notion,  which  was  afterwards  conveyed  by  the 
term  TrcpixwpTyo-is  or  Circumincession ;  a  word  designed  to 
express  the  mutual  penetration,  if  I  may  so  express  myself, 
of  the  three  Persons  of  the  Trinity — the  entireness  of  their 
union.  We  find  also  the  notion  that  the  Adyos  was  the  idea 
or  exemplar  of  all  created  things ;  and  that  He  was  begotten 
in  order  to  be  the  agent  in  the  work  of  creation.  Still  we 
find  mention  only  of  a  temporal  generation.  The  illustration 
contained  in  the  second  passage  has  been  noticed  by  Gibbon  :  ^ 
he  calls  it  profane  and  absurd,  and  says,  with  a  sneer,  that  it 
has  been  alleged  without  censure  by  Bull.  But  the  object  of 
Athenagoras  in  employing  it  was,  not  to  explain  the  mode 
of  subsistence  of  the  Father  and  Son,  but  to  show  that  the 
monarchy,  as  it  was  termed, — the  unity  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment,— was  not  infringed  by  the  distinction  of  Persons  in 
the  Godhead.  Bull  produces  the  passage  in  order  to  clear 
Athenagoras  from  the  charge  of  Sabellianism  ;  and  undoubtedly 
a  Sabellian  would  not  have  used  the  illustration.  Such,  how- 
ever, are  the  difficulties  inherent  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
subject,  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  a  writer  so  to  guard 
his  expressions  as  not  to  lie  open  to  cavil.     How  apt  soever 

'  Def.  Fid.  Nic.  sect.  iv.  c.  4. 
^  Chap.  xxi.  note  50. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  123 

an  illustration  may  be  in  one  point  of  view,  it  may  be  most 
inapplicable  in  another,  and  lead  to  most  inconvenient 
consequences. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  language  of  Theophilus.  Speaking 
of  the  prophets,  he  says  ^  :  "  First  they  taught  us  with  one 
consent  that  God  made  all  things  out  of  nothing.  For  nothing 
was  contemporaneous  with  God.  But  He  being  His  own 
place,  and  wanting  nothing,  and  existing  before  the  ages, 
willed  to  make  man  by  whom  He  might  be  known.  For  him, 
therefore.  He  prepared  the  world.  For  he  that  is  created 
stands  in  need  (of  another) ;  but  He  that  is  increate  wants 
nothing.  God,  therefore,  having  His  own  Word  internal 
within  His  own  bowels,  begat  Him,  emitting  Him  in  conjunc- 
tion with  His  wisdom  before  all  things.  He  had  this  Word  as 
His  minister  in  the  work  of  creation,  and  by  Him  He  made 
all  things.  He  is  called  the  beginning,  because  He  is  the 
commencement  and  ruler  over  all  things  created  by  Him. 
He  therefore  being  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  beginning,  and 
the  wisdom,  and  the  power  of  the  Most  High,  descended  into 
the  prophets,  and  through  them  spake  of  the  creation  of  the 
world  and  of  all  other  things.     For  the  prophets  were  not 

^  KoCi  ffwroi  fJiXt  avi/,^oiiai  tS/o«|ffiv  rifiois,  on  1^  ovk  ovtuv  to,  Tavra  I'Tro'iYtffiv. 
av  yap  rt  tu  9iu  irvv^xficcinv'  aXX  kiitos  iaurou  TOVoi  aiv,  xa,)  ainvoihs  cav, 
Koi  d'H'ipi^eov  ^po  Tuv  aleovojv,  ri6'iXriffiv  tLvSpoiVov  •vroirtaai  u  yioKti'n,  tovtoi  ovv 
'sfpan'Ttiiy-a.tn  rov  )iO<r/,iov,  o  yap  yivriTOs  Ka,i  "prpotroivi;  iittiv  o  oi  ayi'/riTo;  cvaivas 
'jrpor'iiiTai.  i^/uv  ouv  i  Sto;  tov  iaurou  Xoyov  tvdia^irov  Iv  7o7;  loioi;  ff^Xay^voij 
lyivv/Kfiv  auTov,  ftira  tTi;  lavTou  (r/xpia;  i^ipiv^a[/,i)ios  Tfpo  Tun  oXuv,  tovtov  tov 
Xiyon  iff^iv  uTovpyov  rcov  vtt  abrou  yiyivtifiivav,  xa]  ai'  avrou  to,  "ffaiira 
^i'!rii!>ixiv'  ours;  Xiyirai  apy^h,  on  ap^ti  xa)  xvpnvii  vavrui  tui  oi  aurou 
m>lfiiovpytifi'ivii>v.  evTOS  oZv  a/v  'TviZ/^.a  &iou,  xa]  ap^ii,  xa)  ffo(()ia,  xa)  ovva/Mf 
v^iffTov  xarripXi^To  lis  tov;  7i'po(pri'ras,  xa)  oi  avruv  IXaXsi  Ta  -np)  tyi;  'ffoiwtui 
Tou  x'offfiou  xa]  ruv  Xoivav  a-^avTiav,  oi  yap  r,tTav  oi  •yrpoCpnrai  oti  a  xoff/is; 
lyUiro,  aWa  h  tropia  h  \v  avrai  otita.  fi  tou  Siou,  xa)  a  Aoyos  o  uyios  auTOV  »  «!< 
avijt.-7ta.put  avTu.  L.  ii.  p.  88  B.  In  p.  92  D,  we  find  «  S/«r«|(;  ouv  toZ  Qtou 
tout'o  liTTiv,  0  x'oyoi  avTov  (paivikiv  ut'Tdp  xiy^voi  x.  t.  I.  "The  creation  is  of 
God,  His  Word  appearing  as  an  illumination,"  etc.     See  p.  93  B. 


1 24  Some  Account  of  the 

when  the  world  was  made ;  but  the  Wisdom  of  God  Who  was 
in  Him,  and  His  Holy  Word  Who  was  always  present  with 
Him." 

In  another  passage  ^  he  says :  "  For  the  sacred  Scripture 
represents  to  us  Adam  saying  that  he  heard  the  voice  (of 
God) ;  but  what  else  is  the  voice  than  the  Word  of  God,  Who 
is  His  Son  ?  Not  as  the  poets  and  writers  of  fables  talk  of  the 
sons  of  gods  born  from  intercourse  with  women,  but  as  the 
truth  represents  the  Word,  always  internal  in  the  heart  of 
God.  For  before  anything  was  created,  God  had  Him  as  His 
counsellor,  being  His  mind  and  intelligence ;  but  when  God 
willed  to  create  what  He  had  designed.  He  begat  this  Word 
to  go  forth,  to  be  the  first-born  of  all  creation ;  not  being 
Himself  emptied  of  the  Word,  but  having  begotten  and  always 
conversing  with  the  Word." 

Here  again  we  find  the  notion  of  the  subsistence  of  the 
Word  from  eternity  in  a  state  of  most  intimate  union  with 
God,  and  of  His  subsequent  generation  to  create  the  world. 
We  have  observed  that  Theophilus  is  the  earliest  Christian 
author  in  whose  writings  the  word  "  Trinity  "  occurs ;  he  is 
the  first  also  who  distinguishes  expressly  between  the  Aoyos 
cj/Sia^eros  and  TTpocjiopLKb's,  the  internal  and  emitted  Word. 
Theophilus  also,  like  Tatian,  applies  the  title  dpx^  to  the 
Aoyos  with  a  particular  reference  to  Proverbs  viii.  and 
Genesis  i.^ 

1  Kui  yap  atiTti  »  h'icc  ypaiph  ^I'Sdcrxit  h/Mt;  tov  'ASa^  Xiyoiira  rri;  (^avti; 
aKiixocoieii'  (f&jvri  ?£  t/'  ccXXo  Iittiv  aXX'  '/)  0  Aiyns  0  rcu  ©iau,  «j  iffri  xai 
uios  ahrov,  oi^  as  01  ■;roi'/)ra,]  khi  f/.ufii>ypii(poi  Xiyoviriv  viovs  ('t^'V  ix  avtovattti 
ylvva/iivous'  aXXa  us  aXridia  "iinyUTai,  tov  Xoyov,  rov  ovto,  iiecravro;  hoiahriiv 
l»  xaohia,  ^lou.  Tpe  yap  ri  y'lyviffOai,  rovrcv  iix-  (TVfijiauXav,  laurou  vnvv  xat 
^pivriiriv  oira.  ott'oti  31  rifiXaffi*  i  Bios  TToinffai  offa  l(iovXiV(ra7o,  Tovroi  rov  X'oyav 
iyitvniri  Tpatpopixiv,  fpuToToxoy  •jtaavts  xTtinws,  ou  xivoiias  avTo;  rov  Xoyov,  aXP^a 
Xiyov  ytvvnff'ac^  xa)  tZ  Xoyai  alrov  diaoravTo;  o//^iXit)V,  L.  11.  p.   ICX)  A. 

"  P.  88   D.      So   in  p.  92   B.      b  ap;^^  Woiritriv   0   Qios  rov  ovpayov,  Touriirn, 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  125 

P.  46,  note  3.  I  have  observed  in  this  note  that,  because 
Justin  speaks  of  the  world  as  created  out  of  matter  without 
form,  we  must  not,  therefore,  suppose  him  to  have  main- 
tained the  eternity  of  matter.  The  Benedictine  editors  are 
extremely  anxious  to  clear  him  from  the  suspicion  of  having 
entertained  such  an  opinion,  and  with  this  view  refer  to 
passages  in  the  Hortatory  Address  to  the  Gentiles.  But  having 
already  declared  my  doubts  of  the  genuineness  of  that  tract,  I 
cannot  rely  upon  the  passages  quoted  from  it.  As,  however, 
Justin's  instructor  applauds  him  for  saying,  in  opposition  to 
the  Platonists,  that  the  world  was  not  eternal,^  we  may  reason- 
ably infer  that  he  did  not  maintain  the  eternity  of  matter. 

If  we  turn  to  Tatian,  we  shall  find  him  expressly  affirming 
that  matter  had  a  beginning :  "  For  matter  is  not  without 
beginning  as  God  is,  and  thus  it  is  not  equal  in  power  to  God. 
For  it  is  created  and  was  begotten  by  no  other,  but  was  emitted 
by  the  sole  Creator  of  all  things."  2 

Athenagoras,  in   like   manner   distinguishing  between   the 

S/«  rJij  aox/^i  ytyiynrSat  rot  oipicvov,  kcc^ms  'i(ph,u.iy  JtSjjX&ixjva/.  In  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  Deity,  p.  71  A,  we  find  the  following  remarkable  passage  :  il 

yap  (tui  auTov  it-^u,  'jrolrii/.a,  ahrou  Xiya'  il  Xoyov  I'lTco,  ap^hv  ccvrou  Xiytu'  vtfuv 
i^v  i^xu,  (bp'ovniTiv  ahrou  Xiyu'  ■rviZ/^a  lav  I'l'Jtu,  avafrvaJjv  uurou  Xiya'  f/xpiav 
lav  i1*!->,  yivyijua  ahrou  Xiyat'  lo'^hv  lav  i'lvu,  xparo;  ahrou  Xiya'  duvafiiv  iav 
ii«u,  hicytiav  ahrou  Xiyu'  trpotoiav  iav  u-jtu,  ayaioffutnv  ahrou  Xiyu'  ^ariXuxv 
lay  u<jro),  I'o^at  ahrw  Xiyu'  Kupioy  iav  iiTu,  iaurev  Xiyu'  Tartpa,  lav  £»!ra>,  to, 
veaira  ahrou  X'tyu'   *up   iav   I'cra),  rhv   ipyiit   ahrou  Xiyai,      See  also  p.   73  -^  5 

1.  iii.  p.  122  D. 

'  Dial.  p.  223  A.     See  Beausobre,  Histoire  du  Manich^isme,  1.  5,  cc. 

2,  4,  5- 

2  P.  145  C.  He  had  just  before  said  of  the  \iyos,  ahrot  lauru  rhv  uXny 
h/iioupyriras,  "He  created  matter  by  Himself."  In  another  place  he 
says  that  all  matter  was  sent  forth  or  emitted  by  God ;  some  of  it  to  be 
considered  as  being  without  form  before  a  separation  had  taken  place, 
some  as  being  adorned  and  reduced  to  order  after  the  separation,  p.  151 
A.     See  Beausobre,  1.  5,  c.  5. 


126  Some  Account  of  the 

divine  nature  and  matter,  says  that  the  former  is  increate 
and  eternal,  the  latter  created  and  corruptible  :  to  \iXv  yap 
Beiov  a.yivr)Tov  civai  kclL  diStov,  vw  fjuU'w  koI  Xoyo)  Ocoipovfiivov 
rrjv  8e  v\t]v  yevrjrrjv  Koi  (f>OapT-)]v.^  In  another  place  he  says 
that  God  and  matter  differ  as  widely  from  each  other  as  the 
artisan  and  the  materials  upon  which  he  employs  his  art.^ 

Theophilus  says  expressly  that  God  produced  all  things  from 
a  state  of  non-existence  into  a  state  of  existence :  ra  iravra  6 
0eos  iiroLrjarev  e$  ovk  oi^tcov  cis  to  cTvat.^  In  another  place  he 
asks,  "What  mighty  power  do  we  ascribe  to  God,  if  we  say 
that  He  made  the  world  out  of  subject-matter  ?  An  artisan,  if 
materials  are  given  him,  makes  what  he  chooses.  But  the 
power  of  God  is  displayed  in  this — that  He  makes  what  He 
chooses  out  of  nothing."  *  He  afterwards  says  that,  according 
to  the  scriptural  representation,  God  made  the  world  out  of 
matter  which  had  been  produced  by  Him.^ 

^  Legatio,  p.  5  B.  So  p.  23  A.  X?:o"o^sv  tauroli;  IffoTifiov  rhv  uXnt  T^v 
(f^apThv  xa)  fivtrrvtv  xa.i  f^irafiXi/tThi  tw  ayivmnTifi,  ko.)  aioiii),  xa)  dix-^avros 
irufiipuvai  •nmvvrts  0ia.  We  will  pass  over  that.  "  Matter  which  is  cor- 
ruptible, fluctuating,  and  changeable,  is  held  in  equal  honour  with  the 
Unbegotten,  eternal  God,  who  always  works  consistently." 

^  i'l  Ss  oii^Tciriv  {vXn  XXI  Bios)  '^d/n^oXv  ut'  aXXriXtov,  xa)  roffovrov  ocrov 
Ti^virtis  xa)  h  -rpos  Ttiv  Tt^ytiv  alrou  vrapccffxivvi — xa.)  h  Ta.v'ii^hs  SX'/i  aviv  rod 
0£ay  red  ^nf^iovpyov  ^laxpiffiv  xa)  ff^ij//,a  xa)  xof/iov  ohx  \Xa.//,fliavi)i.  "But  if 
they  (matter  and  God)  differ  wholly  from  each  other,  not  only  in  their 
Creator,  but  in  the  manner  of  their  creation,  and  the  all-embracing  matter 
did  not  receive  individuality,  and  form,  and  shape,  without  God  the 
Creator."  P.  14  D.  Beausobre  justly  remarks  that  this  passage  is  not 
irreconcileable  to  a  belief  in  the  eternity  of  matter.     L.  5,  c.  5. 

3  L.  i.  p.  72  A.     Compare  p.  75  A.     L.  ii.  pp.  88  B,  92  B. 

*  r/  Ss  [iiya  it  o  Qios  £|  i'^oxiifiivris  SXn;  iToiu  rov  xtxr/J-ov  ;  xa/  yap  n-^^viTiis 
icvSpuTTo;,  iTav  SXtiv  Xa^n  a-xo  Titos,  i\  au<r>js  oira  (iovXtrat  Toiu,  Biou  ol  n 
dvvaf/.i;     iv     rovru    (pavipouraiy    'Iva    i|    ol/x     ovtcdv    -xom    'ova     ^ouXtrai,    L.    11. 

p.  82  c. 

°  Tovra  iv  'TTpurois  Oidairxii  h  hia  ypatpii  Tp'oVcf  Tin  uXyiv  yivYirm  V'X'o  tou  &iou 
yiyovviK'n,  a(p    ns  (TS'To/jjxe  xa)  oio^/xioupytiKtv  0  0soj  Tov  xoirftcv,  p.  89  A. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  127 

P.  46,  note  4.  The  word  olKovofxia  is  used  by  Tatian,  but 
not  with  any  reference  to  the  gospel  dispensation.  In  a 
passage  quoted  in  note  6,  p.  116,  he  says  that  whatever  is 
only  divided  takes  its  part  in  the  economy,  olKovo^im  ttjv 
aipecTLv  TrpocrXafiov.  In  another  place  he  speaks  of  those 
who  trust  to  the  economy  of  matter,  vXr}<s  olKovofxia,  meaning 
those  who  ascribe  the  cure  of  diseases  to  combinations  of 
matter ;  ^  and  when  he  is  ridiculing  the  astrologers,  he  calls 
the  constellations  the  dispensers  of  fate,  t^s  elfjiapfji.evrj'i  oIko- 

Athenagoras  uses  the  word  in  a  sense  which  bears  a  nearer 
resemblance  to  that  in  which  I  have  supposed  Justin  to  use 
it.  Speaking  of  the  assumption  of  the  human  form  by  the 
heathen  deities,  he  says,  "  Although  God  assumed  the  flesh 
according  to  the  heavenly  economy,  yet  it  is  a  slave  to 
lusts."  3 

Theophilus,  speaking  of  earthly  monarchs,  says  that  "  they 
are  not  made  to  be  worshipped,  but  to  receive  appropriate 
honour ;  for  they  are  not  gods,  but  men  appointed  by  God, 
not  to  be  worshipped,  but  to  give  righteous  judgments, — for 
they  are  in  a  manner  entrusted  with  an  administration  by 
God."  ^     He  says,  on  another  occasion,  that  no  person  is  able 

1  P.  157  B.  In  p.  151  B,  Tatian  speaks  of  the  human  body  as  being 
f^ias  oixovofiia;,  "of  One  economy;"  and  shortly  after  we  find  lv7o<rfiuv 
oiKovo/ila,  "  the  economy  of  the  inwards,"  and  xar  oix/ivof/,ixt  crvf^ipavices, 
"unison  according  to  economy."  Speaking  of  those  writers  who  turned 
the  heathen  mythology  and  the  Iliad  into  allegory,  he  says  that  they 
introduced  the  Greeks  and  barbarians  as  contending  x'^P"  ol^ovoyAtts,  "  for 
the  sake  of  economy,"  p.  l6o  B, 

*  Pp.  149  B,  150  A.  ^  Legatio,  p.  21  D. 

*  an  ovK  lis  TO  TTforKuviiir^a,!  yiyoviv,  aXXoi  u;  to  Tti/a,ir6ot.i  tjJ  voi/.ifiM  rturi. 
Qioi  'yap  ovK  iirriv,  aXXa,  av^pw^os  vvro  SioZ  Tira,yf/,iiiits,  ovx  11;  to  "XpuffKuvtliriaij 
<xXXa:  Si's  to  oitcaius  Kp'nuv  Tfo-rtt)  yap  rivi  •jreipcc  Blov  o'lKovifnion  •ri'rifTivrai, 
L.  i.  p.  76  D, 


128  Some  Account  of  the 

worthily  to  explain  the  whole  economy  of  the  six  days  of 
creation.^  He  says  also  that  the  disposition  of  the  stars  in  the 
work  of  creation  contains  the  economy  and  order  of  just  and 
pious  men,  who  observe  the  commandments  of  God  ;  ^  and  in 
alluding  to  the  narrative  in  Scripture  respecting  Cain  and 
Abel,  he  talks  of  the  economy  of  the  narrative,  t^v  otKovo/AtW 

P.  48.  Tatian  gives  the  title  of  God  to  Christ,  and  calls 
Him,  in  one  instance,  the  God  Who  suffered ;  *  in  another, 
God  Who  appeared  in  the  form  of  man.^ 

Athenagoras  also  gives  the  title  of  God  to  the  Son  \  ^  and 
Theophilus,  referring  to  John  i.  i,  says  expressly  that  the  Word 
is  God.7 

P.  52.  Bull,  speaking  of  the  ■mpiyw>py]<ji%,  or  circumin- 
cession  of  the  three  Persons  in  the  Trinity,^  says  "  that  some 
of  the  ancients  also  ascribe  a  7r£pixw/3'?crts  to  the  two  natures  in 
Christ ;  but  that  in  so  doing  they  do  not  speak  accurately. 
For  since  irepixoyprja-t^,  in  its  strict  sense,  is  the  union  of  things 
entering  in  all  respects  into  each  other  (which  is  signified  by 
the  preposition  Trepi),  in  order  to  justify  the  use  of  the  term,  no 

1  L.  ii.  p.  91  B.  2  P.  94  D.  »  P.  105  B. 

*  He  is  speaking  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Whom  he  calls  tcv  S/ax«vav  tov  -jn^ov- 
foTos  Blov,  *'  the  Minister  of  the  suffering  God,"  p.  153  A. 

^   ©£ov  iv  ivSfU'ffou  fiopP^  yiyo/tvai  xarayyiXXovTis,    "  proclaiming  that  God 

appeared  in  the  form  of  man,"  p.  159  C.  In  another  passage  he  calls 
upon  the  heathen  to  renounce  the  demons,  and  to  follow  the  only  God,  to 
Whom  he  applies  what  St.  John  (i.  3)  says  of  the  Aoyo;  ;  "  All  things  were 
made  by  Him,  and  without  Him  was  not  any  thing  made,"  ixxa  Trapaint- 

ffcifiivai  reui  oai/zova,;  0iu  tZ  fiiyu  xaraKoXouSrtfitTf  fayra.  ii'if  ecvrov,  x»i  X"f'^ 
avTov  yiyomv  ovoi  sv,  p.   1 58  D. 

"  See  the  first  passage  quoted  in  p.  113. 

'    0ios  ouv  av  0  Aoyof  ko.)  Ix  €Hcu  TK^vxaSy  L.  ii.  p.  100  C. 

^  Def.  Fid.  Nic.  sect.  iv.  c.  4. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  129 

one  of  the  things  so  united  should  be  without  or  beyond  the 
other ;  but  wheresoever  one  of  them  is,  there  the  other  should 
also  be.  But  in  Christ,  though  the  divine  nature  enters  in 
every  respect  into  the  human,  the  human  does  not  in  turn 
enter  into  the  divine  ;  for  the  human  is  finite  and  limited, — 
the  divine  infinite  and  unlimited ;  so  that  the  human  cannot 
be  wheresoever  the  divine  is."  There  is,  in  other  words,  a 
perfect  7rept;(u)pr;crts  of  persons  in  the  divine  nature,  but  not  a 
perfect  irepixoiprja-L's  of  natures  in  the  person  of  Christ.  Still, 
according  to  Bull's  view,  Justin  is  correct  in  saying  that  the 
divine  nature  pervaded,  or  perfectly  entered  into  the  human. 

Justin  puts  into  the  mouth  of  the  old  man  who  converted 
him  to  Christianity,  the  following  question  :  "  What,  then,  is 
our  relationship  to  God  ?  Is  the  soul  divine,  and  immortal, 
and  a  part  of  that  royal  intelligence  ?  avrov  Ikuvov  rov  ^aatXiKov 
vov  /tepos."  Dia/.  p.  221  E.  So  Tatian,  p.  146  C,  says  that  man 
obtains  immortahty  by  partaking  of  a  portion  of  God.  Oeov 
(loipav.     See  Beausobre,  lib.  6,  c.  5. 

That  partial  insight  into  the  truth,  which  the  Gentile  poets 
and  philosophers  possessed,  and  which,  according  to  Justin, 
they  obtained  through  their  participation  in  the  Ao'yos,  is 
traced  by  Athenagoras  to  what  he  terms  their  "  sympathy  with 
the  breath  of  God."  TroLrjToi  [xkv  yap  koL  <f)iX6(T0<f>0L,  ws  Kal  Tois 
oAXot?    iire/SaXov    crTO;(a(rTtKa)s,   KLvrjOivTe'i  p-kv,   Kara  (rvfJ-irdOeiav 

TTJ'i    TTttjOa    TOV    ®eOV    TTVOT]?,   VTTO    TTj'S    (aUTOs)    aVTOV    l/'V^'^S    EKaCTTOS 

^r]T^craL,  el  Swaros  e^peiv  /cat  vorjixat  rrjv  aXT^deiav'  toctovtov  Se 
8vvr]6evTe<;  ocrov  TvepLvorjcrai,  ov;^  evprjvraL  ov  (f.  ©eov)  ov  irapa. 
0€ov  a^twcrarTes  p,a6elv,  dXAa  Trap'  avTov  e'/<aorTOS.  Legatio, 
p.  7D. 

P.  53.  We  have  seen^  that  Athenagoras  calls  the  Holy 
Spirit  an  emanation  from  God,  flowing  forth  and  reflected  like 

^  Leg.  p.  10  D,  quoted  in  note  2,  p.  120. 
I 


130  Some  Account  of  the 

a  ray  of  the  sun.  In  another  place  he  says  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  an  emanation,  as  light  from  a  fire.^  Justin,  on  the 
contrary,  in  speaking  of  the  generation  of  the  Son,  expressly 
censures  those  who  compared  it  to  the  emission  of  a  ray  from 
the  sun,  and  uses  the  illustration  of  a  fire  lighted  from 
another  fire.^  We  have  here  another  instance  of  the  difficulty 
of  bringing  forward,  on  this  mysterious  subject,  any  illustration 
to  which  an  objection  may  not  be  made.  Justin's  illustration 
better  conveys  the  notion  of  a  distinction  of  persons ;  that  of 
Athenagoras,  the  notion  of  an  unity  of  substance.  But  they 
who  are  disposed  to  raise  cavils  will  say  that  the  former  tends 
to  Tritheism  3  the  latter  to  Sabellianism. 

I  have  observed  that  Theophilus  speaks  explicitly  of  a 
Trinity  ;  ^  and,  as  it  should  seem,  of  a  real  Trinity — a  Trinity 
of  Persons.  Yet  we  find  him  speaking  of  the  Spirit  of  God  as 
surrounded  or  confined  by  the  hand  of  God ;  *  and  saying 
that  the  Spirit  of  God,  Which  moved  on  the  face  of  the 
waters  in  the  work  of  creation,  was  given  by  God  in  order  to 
vivify  it,  as  the  soul  is  given  to  man.^  Justin,  as  we  have  seen,^ 
supposed  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  to 
be  the  Holy  Spirit, — an  application  of  the  passage  to  which 
Theophilus  appears  to  have  been  a  stranger. 

P.    55.      The    opinion    of  Athenagoras  respecting  the  in- 

1   Kou  a-roppoia,  u;  (pZf  a,rro  -rvpos,  to  •xtuifj.a,.      Leg.  p.  27  A, 
-  See  p.  50.  '^  See  p.  114. 

*  ovTus  h  "Traaa.  uriins  ■npii^tTai  u^o  'x'vtvf^xros  Biov,  kcc]  to  Tvivfia  <re 
*ipi'iX<»  o'l"  T^  KTiffii  iripii.^ira.1  u-JTo  x^'P^S  Siou,  L.  1.  p.  ^2  C. 

5  ^vivfia,  01  TO  i-mpipoftivoM  i^dvai  tov  SiotTos,  o  'ihcaKiv  o  Qio;  us  ^aoyov/xriv  t»5 
kt'ktu,  xa,6a<!rip  Mpuvu  "^v^nv,  L,  ii.  p.  92  C.  Compare  p.  74  A.  0  hfn- 
Xioiiffa.;  Ttiv  ynv  i'v)  tuv  ulaTuv,  xa.)  oohs  •jrviifn.a  to  Tp'i(foi  icvTnv'  ou  h  ^von 
Zaioyonu  TO  ■ray.  In  p.  IIO  B,  Theophilus  calls  God  Tpo<[lia  5ra<rM5  iTKjJjf. 
TvEy^a  Btov  in  p.  78  D,  corresponds  to  to  frvsu^a  to  Myiov,  "the  Holy 
Spirit,"  in  p.  106  C. 

6  See  p.  41. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  131 

spiration  of  the  prophets,  was  that  the  Spirit  from  God  moved 
their  mouths  like  instruments  ;  ^  or,  as  he  expresses  himself  in 
another  place,  that  the  Spirit  made  use  of  the  prophet  as  a 
player  on  the  pipe  does  of  the  pipe.^ 

The  language  of  Theophilus  on  this  subject  differs  not 
widely  from  that  of  Athenagoras.  He  speaks  of  the  prophets 
as  inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  by  God  Himself  ;3  so  that, 
being  holy  and  just,  they  were  deemed  worthy  to  be  made  the 
instruments  of  God,  and  to  partake  of  His  wisdom.* 

■*   t^of^iv  Xlpoip'/iTa?  i^aprvfo.?,  o"  •pfviui/.ari  \v6isf  iK-}t'i(poivnx,a,ffi  x.a.)  i^npi  rov   ©sot/ 

Kit]   vnpi   TMV   TOV   SiOU.         I'l'TTOITi   0     av   HO.)    Uf^lTg,    ffUv'iffil   KO,)   TYI    ■PTlfi    TO     oW»5     (ilOV 

iviTlfilia  TOVj  aXXovs  ^fCJ^ovnt,  cm?  KTTiv  kXoyov,  ■^apaXi^ovTa;  ^KTTiviiv  Tu  "Jfapa, 
rou  Bsou  TTviv/u.a.Ti,  ai;  opyccta  xtxiVfixiiTi  to,  rut  TIp(i(p'/iTav  {rTo/naTCi,  crpocri^iiv 
^'o^aii  av^ptaTivxis.  Legatio,  p.  8  A.  Tatian's  description  of  the  prophetic 
writings,  p.  165  B,  deserves  attention. 

"  xa/  Tftiv  Xoi'Xuy  '^poiptiruv,  ol  kut  ixffTairiv  rav  Iv  ahroT;  XoyiiTfiav,  KivriffanTOi 
KVTOvs  rou  hiov  'rvivfidroi,  a  Ivtipyovvra  i^t(pei>iir}ira,v'  irvy^ptiirccfiiyou  tou  ^vsu/^aros, 
iiitCi  xa.)  KvXnrhs  cci/Xov,  i/n.'rvitia-a.i,  p.  9  D.  Here  Athenagoras  says  that  the 
prophets  spoke  xocr'  'f»rrTa.<nv,  in  a  state  of  rapture  or  ecstasy.  On  this 
point  he  agreed  with  Montanus,  though  I  see  no  reason  for  suspecting,  with 
Tillemont,  that  he  ever  attached  himself  to  the  Montanists.  See  the 
Preface  of  the  Benedictine  editors,  part  iii.  c.  14.  Justin,  speaking  of  the 
prophet  Zechariah,  says,  toutov  Vt  al/rov  olx.  iv  Tin  d-roxaXvi^u  kItov  iupaxn 
0  vrpolpriT^s,  utfxip  ovhX  Tov  cidjioXov  xa)  rev  Tou  Kvpiou  ayytXov  ohx  avTo^ia,  iv 
xaraffTaffU  uv,  iwpaaii,  aXX  iv  ixiTTaffit  aTfoxaXv^ico;  kiitS  yiyi)i^fj,i)/rti. 
Dial.  p.  343  A,  quoted  in  p.  56,  note  i.  The  difference  between  the  two 
representations  seems  to  be  that,  according  to  Justin,  the  prophet  was  in  a 
state  of  rapture  when  he  saw  the  vision  which  he  recorded  :  according  to 
Athenagoras,  when  he  delivered  or  wrote  the  prophecy. 

3  L.  i.  p.  78  D  ;  1.  ii.  pp.  106  C,  no  A,  in  C,  128  B.  See  also 
p.  88  C,  quoted  in  p.  123,  note  i,  and  88  D.  Maffni  Ss — fiaXXov  Se  0  xiyes 
0  rov  Ouv,  aii  li'  opyavou,  S/'  aiiTov  <pwU,  "  For  Moses  spoke  — Or  rather  the 
word  of  God  through  him  as  by  an  instrument."  In  these  passages  the  in- 
spiration of  the  prophets  is  attributed  to  the  xiyos.  ■rd.vTis  ol  ■7rvivf/,aTo(p'opci, 
"  All  they  who  were  inspired,"  p.  ICX3  C.     L.  iii.  p.  125  A. 

m  Oi  TOV  6tov  ai6puit»i,  ^viv//,aTo(popiii  ^vtVfiOiTos  ay'iou  xoCi  TpoiftiTai  yivofiiivoi, 
V7t  al/roZ  TOO  Stou  ifi-^rvfjir^ivTi;  xa)  iro(fifffivrii,  iyivovTo  SioVi^oiktoi  xoi.)  offioi  *ai 
eixaioi,      5(0  xa)   xuTt-i^iu'^acrocv  rhv  avrtjiKf^iay   TocvTr,y   Xoijiuv,  epyava   0sou   yito' 


132  Some  Account  of  the 

The  account  of  the  propliets  given  by  Justin,  or  rather  by 
the  old  man  who  converted  him  to  Christianity,  is  that  "  long 
before  all  those  who  are  deemed  philosophers,  lived  blessed 
and  just  men,  lovers  of  God,  who  spake  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  foretold  future  things,  which  are  now  happening.  They 
are  called  prophets.  They  alone  saw  the  truth,  and  told  it  to 
men  ;  neither  respecting  nor  fearing  any  one,  nor  influenced 
by  the  love  of  glory,  but  speaking  those  things  only  which 
they  heard  and  saw,  being  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^ 

The  author  of  the  Hortatory  Address  to  the  Greeks  says 
that  "  it  was  only  necessary  for  the  prophets  to  surrender  them- 
selves entirely  to  the  operation  of  the  Divine  Spirit ;  that  the 
divine  quill  descending  from  heaven,  and  using  the  instru- 
mentality of  just  men,  as  of  a  harp  or  lyre,  should  reveal  to 
us  the  knowledge  of  divine  and  heavenly  things."  2 

P.  56.  Tatian  gives  the  following  account  of  the  creation 
and  fall  of  angels  and  men.^  "  The  heavenly  Aoyo's,  being  a 
Spirit  from  the  Father,  and  the  Aoyos  from  the  rational  power, 
in  imitation  of  the  Father  Who  begat  Him,  made  man  the 
image  of  immortality;  that,  as  incorruption  is  with  God,  so 
man,  partaking  of  a  portion  of  God,  might  also  have  im- 
mortality.    The  Aoyo?,  before  the  creation  of  man,  was  the 

ftiiai,  xa)  ^cof^iravris  (ro(piay  T'/jv  -^rap  avToZ,  ?/'  ns  <ro(pia.s  u-tTov  xat  ra  ■jnfi  rris 
Kriffius  Tov  xofffiov  kki  t»v  'Koi'7ru>i  kvavrav,  L.  ii.  p.  87  D. 

^  iy'ivsvTo  TiMi;  -rpo  ^oXXuy  ^povov  ■ravTuv  rovruv  ruv  vo/yii^^'yAv'^i  ipiXoiro<pcti> 
•^aXaioTipoi,  //.axapioi,  xa.)  oixaici,  xa)  ^m^iXiTs,  (uta  mivi/.ari  XaXntratn; ,  xa)  to. 
fiiXXovra  h(r^iffavTi;,  a,  oh  vuv  yiyii'ra.r  vpotfriTu,;  o\  avrovs  xaXoZatv  euroi  fiivoi 
TO  i,Xriti;  xa)  uoov  xa.)  il^i~';rov  avlpui'Ttois,  jIMJt'  tiXajSij^svTs;  fAYiri  ouffu7iyi6i\irii 
<riva,  f/.h  tiTTyifiiviii  %'o^r,;,  aXXa  fiova  rccvra,  U'Totris  a  Uxoviray  xa)  a,  uhov,  ayi»i 
•prXripufiVTi;  •^viii/.ari.      Dial,  p.  224  D, 

^  aXXa  xaSapovs  lavrou;  r7i  Tou  hiou  •jrviuf^aros  ^apa(r^th  hipyiia,  <'v'  auro 
TO  6i7i>v  s|  oupavou  xaTiov  'rXrjxrpov,  uirTip  opyavai  xiSapa;  tivos  n  Xvpag,  To'is 
iixaiois   av'ipaffi  ^fu/moVf    Tnv   Tu\i  iiiuv    hjJuv   xa)   oupaviut   kvoxnXv^i^    yiuirit^ 

p.  9  B. 
»  P.  146  B. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  133 

Creator  of  angels.  Each  species  was  createti  free,  not  being 
good  in  its  own  nature,  which  is  the  property  of  God  alone ; 
but  capable,  in  the  case  of  man,  of  perfection  through  freedom 
of  choice, — so  that  the  wicked  might  be  justly  punished,  being 
wicked  through  their  own  fault ;  and  the  good  might  be  justly 
praised  on  account  of  their  good  deeds, — not  having,  in  the 
exercise  of  their  freedom,  transgressed  the  will  of  God.  Such 
was  the  case  with  respect  to  angels  and  men." 

"  But  the  power  of  the  Word,  possessing  within  Himself  a 
prescience  of  futurity,  not  by  any  fatal  necessity,  but  by  (fore- 
seeing) the  determination  of  those  who  were  free  to  choose, 
predicted  future  events ;  restraining  men  from  wickedness  by 
prohibitions,  and  praising  those  who  persevered  in  goodness. 
And  when  men  followed  one  who,  on  account  of  the  priority 
of  his  birth,  was  more  subtle  than  the  rest,  and  set  him  up  as 
God,  though  he  opposed  himself  to  the  law  of  God,  the  power 
of  the  Word  excluded  both  the  author  of  this  madness  and 
all  his  followers  from  intercourse  with  Himself.  And  he 
who  was  made  in  the  image  of  God,  the  more  powerful  Spirit 
being  withdrawn  from  him,  became  mortal ;  and  the  first-born 
angel,  through  his  transgression  and  ignorance,  was  manifested 
as  a  demon;  and  they  who  imitated  his  phantasms  became 
a  host  of  demons,  and  through  (the  abuse  of)  their  freedom 
were  delivered  over  to  their  own  folly."  He  then  proceeds 
to  say  that  the  demons  introduced  the  doctrine  of  fate,  and 
connected  it  with  astrology. 

In  order  that  we  may  understand  what  Tatian  means  by 
the  withdrawing  of  the  more  powerful  Spirit,  we  must  turn  to 
another  passage,^  in  which  he  says,  "  We  recognise  two  different 

^  P.  150  D.  Tatian,  on  one  occasion,  says  that  "  God  is  a  Spirit ;  not 
the  spirit  pervading  matter,  but  the  preparer  of  the  spirits  in  matter  and 
of  its  forms,"  p.  144  C;  in  another,  that  "the  spirit  pervading  matter  is 
inferior  to  the  diviner  Spirit,"  p.  144  D.     Compare  what  is  said  in  my 


134  Some  Account  of  the 

spirits — one,  which  is  called  the  soul ;  the  other,  greater  than 
the  soul,  the  image  and  likeness  of  God.  Both  those  spirits 
were  united  in  the  first  men  (dv^pcoTrots  tois  Trptorots),  so  that  in 
one  respect  they  were  material ;  in  another,  superior  to  matter," 
He  then  goes  on  to  say,  that  the  universe  is  material ;  and 
though  its  parts  differ,  according  to  their  different  degrees  of 
beauty,  yet  the  whole  is  pervaded  by  a  material  spirit.  There 
is  a  spirit  in  the  stars,  in  angels,  in  plants  and  water,  in  men, 
in  animals,  which,  though  one  and  the  same,  is  thus  variously 
modified.^  As,  then,  the  soul  partakes  of  this  material  spirit, 
it  is  not  immortal  in  its  own  nature,  but  mortal.  It  may, 
however,  not  die.  It  dies,  and  is  dissolved  with  the  body, 
when  it  knows  not  the  truth ;  again,  it  does  not  die,  although 
it  is  dissolved  for  a  time,  when  it  has  acquired  the  knowledge 
of  God.  "The  soul,  therefore,"  Tatian  proceeds,^  "did  not 
save  the  spirit,  but  was  saved  by  it ;  and  the  light  compre- 
hended the  darkness.     The  Word  is  the  light  of  God;  and 

work  on  Clement  of  Alexandria,  respecting  the  principal  and  subject 
spirit,  p.  225.  To  tliose  who  are  devoid  of  the  Spirit,  Tatian  gives  the 
title  of  \pv^ix6i,  p.  154  C.     See  p.  155  B. 

^  P.  152  A.  The  soul  is  called  ■roXvfitp^s,  "consisting  of  many  parts," 
p.  153  B. 

^  P.  152  C.  xaf  idurnt  yocp  ffKoroi  iffTi)/  («  '^"X^)  "■"'■'  «''*'''  '"  auT35 
ipairiivi)/.  KO.)  Touri  iffriv  apa.  to  iipufiivov,  ti  fxoricc  to  (pais  oh  Ka,Taya./x[Iidni. 
■\puxh  yap  ovx  OLVTr)  to  Tviv/zot,  'iffoonv,  laui'/i  0%  h'X  auTou,  xeti  to  (pa;  Tyiv 
o'xoTiav  xariXajiiv,  0  Xoyos  /ttsv  l<rr/  to  tow  Qiou  ipas,  ffxoTos  St  it  at/f^iffT^ftuv 
"^"/C^'  ^'*  TovTo  fjiovn  fM.v  oiaiTojf/.iii'/i  •3'pos  tyiv  uKnv  vtvii  xaTta,  amoi,<jto6vit9- 
Kovoa.  Tn  ffapx'i.  ffvZ,vy'ia')  St  x£»t»|«£v«  twv  toZ  hiov  vyiv/^oiroi  ohx  ifTii 
afiofiSviTo;'  anp^i'^'^i  Se  •rpo;  a-np  avrhv  o^-/iyi7  x.'^P'"'  ''''  ^viufia.  tov  fAv 
yap  iffTi))  Situ  TO  olxYiTYiptov.  Trii  Ti  xa,Tu6iv  IffTiv  h  yiviiris'  (See  p.  I51  A, 
as  fiveti  xoivhv  '^avToDi  yiviriv.)  yiyovi  fiiv  out  (rutdioi,iTov  ap^riSiv  to  •iniiu/zx  t» 
'^i'X'''  ''"'  ^'  •rviu/xa.  TauTtif  'f»iff6ai  f/M  (iouXo/^ivtiv  avTuJ  xixTaXiXoi^iv,  ii  S« 
HiiT'Tnp  'iva.vo'/za  tyiS  ivvafisus  avTOU  xtxT'/i/iivn  xeci  S/a;  tov  X'^P'"'/^'"  '''a  TtXiici 
xa6opa,M  fih  ^u)iafjt.ivv,  Z,rtTovcra,  tov  6sov,  xct,Ta,  -rXcivm  troXXous  hoi/s  aviTutraffi, 
TOIS  avTiffotpiffTiuoviri  ^aif^oo'i  xaTO.xoXou^woco'oc,  -TtviUj/.u,  6i  tov  ©soy  •xapa.  -TTaffii 
fiiv  ohx  'iiTTi'  -^apa,  oi  Tin  to7s  oiKctiois  voXiTivo/yiivois  xaTayo/a-ivov,  xoi)  ffu/j.'VXl- 
xo/iivov  tTi  "^vx^i  ""*  'Spoayopiv(tiu)V  toTis  Xoitals  \ptixa7s  to  xtxpufi/^ivot 
avttyyiiXi,      xoi)  a'l  /niv  •^tiS'ofji.ivct.i  cro(pia,  (npiffiv  ahraTs  ItfiiXxovTo  ■rviv/n.a  ffuyyivis. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  135 

the  ignorant  soul,  darkness.  On  which  account,  when  it  is 
alone,  it  bends  downwards  towards  matter,  dying  together  with 
the  flesh.  But  having  obtained  an  union  with  the  Divine 
Spirit,  it  is  no  longer  destitute  of  aid,  but  ascends  to  the 
places  to  which  the  Spirit  conducts  it.  For  the  dwelling- 
place  of  the  Spirit  is  above ;  the  origin  of  the  soul  from  below. 
In  the  beginning,  then,  the  Spirit  dwelt  with  the  soul,  but 
quitted  it,  because  it  refused  to  follow  the  Spirit.     But  the 

a.\  S«  fj^rt  ViiS'ofi.iia.t  xa)  Ton  haxovov  rcu  ■ri'Tov^oTo;  Qiou  'Tupairtiu/Mvai  hofix^^oi 
f^aWov,  ^■rip  hofftPiiii,  avBipaivayro. 

Beausobre  has  given  the  following  translation  of  this  passage,  Histoire 
du  Manicheisme,  1.  4,  c.  3: — "  L'ame  de  sa  nature,"  dit  Tatien,  "n'est 
que  ten^bres,  et  n'a  rien  de  la  lumiere.  De  la  ce  mot  de  I'Ecriture,  Les 
tenibres  n'embrasseni  point  la  lumiere,  car  I'Esprit  n'est  pas  sauve  par 
l'ame,  mais  c'est  lui  qui  sauve  l'ame,  et  c'est  la  lumiere  qui  embrasse  les 
tenibres.  La  Raison  est  la  lumiere  de  Dieu  :  les  tenebres  sent  une  ame 
qui  est  dans  I'ignorance.  C'est  pourquoi  quand  elie  est  seule,  elle 
s'abaisse  aux  choses  materielles,  et  meurt  ay^c  la  chair.  Mais  quand  elle 
est  unie  avec  rF'-'^'U  elL  inonte  au  lieu  ou  elle  est  conduite  par  I'Esprit. 
En  effet,  le  si^ge  de  I'Esprit  est  le  Ciel,  mais  le  siege  de  l'ame  est  la 
nature  materielle  "  (in  the  original,  rns  5i  KtHra^'iv  'kttiv  ■/)  yiviffis-  Beausobre 
defends  his  translation  by  a  reference  to  Jas.  iii.  6,  xa)  (pxnylH^ouffa  rii 
rpixo-i  rtis  yiyifius,  "and  setteth  on  fire  the  course  of  nature."  But 
yinirsi  seems  rather  to  mean  in  this  place  nature,  as  rendered  in  our 
version.  See  Grotius  in  loco,  and  t>j»  ■raXaiav  yivKnv,  p.  150  D).  "Au 
commencement,  I'Esprit  etoit  familierement  uni  avec  l'ame,  et  vivoit, 
pour  ainsi  dire,  avec  elle :  mais  n'ayant  pas  voulu  suivre  les  lumieres  de 
I'Esprit,  il  la  laissa.  Cependant,  elle  conserva  encore  comme  une  etincelle 
de  feu  cache  sous  la  cendre ;  mais  k  cause  de  la  separation  de  I'Esprit, 
elle  n'a  pas  la  force  d'appercevoir  les  choses  parfaites.  En  cherchant 
Dieu,  elle  s'est  egaree,  et  en  a  imaging  plusieurs,  seduite  par  la  fraude 
des  Demons."  Beausobre's  comment  on  the  passage  is,  *'  L'ame  est  done 
I'ouvrage  du  Createur  :  I'Esprit  est  un  don  de  Dieu.  Voila  les  differens 
genres,  ou  les  differentes  natures  de  Basilide.  Le  Createur  ne  connoissoit 
que  la  premiere,  et  ne  commen9a  a  savoir,  qu'il  y  en  a  une  plus  excellente 
et  plus  parfaite,  que  lorsque  I'Esprit  descendit  sur  Jesus."  In  my  work 
on  Clement  of  Alexandria,  p.  272,  note  I,  I  have  said,  with  reference  to 
this  comment,  that  Beausobre  appears  to  put  interpretations  on  some  of 
the  expressions  which  the  words  will  not  bear.  On  further  consideration, 
I  do  not  change  my  opinion. 


136  Some  Accoimt  of  the 

soul,  retaining  some  spark,  as  it  were,  of  the  power  of  the 
Spirit,  being  unable,  through  its  separation  from  the  Spirit,  to 
see  that  which  is  perfect,  erring  in  its  search  after  God,  figured 
to  itself  many  gods,  following  the  fraudulent  devices  of  the 
demons.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  is  not  with  all ;  sojourning 
only  with  some  who  Hved  righteous  lives,  and  united  with 
their  souls.  It  declared,  by  means  of  predictions,  secret  things 
to  other  souls ;  some  of  them  obeying  wisdom,  drew  down  to 
themselves  a  kindred  spirit ;  ^  while  those  which  did  not  obey, 
but  rejected  the  Minister  of  God  Who  suffered,  proved  rather 
adversaries  than  worshippers  of  God." 

"  It  is,  then,"  he  afterwards  says,^  "  our  business  to  recover 
that  which  we  have  lost,  and  to  unite  the  soul  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  earnestly  to  aim  at  an  union  with  God."  After 
some  other  further  remarks  on  the  soul  of  man,  Tatian  pro- 
ceeds :  "  Man  alone  is  the  image  and  likeness  of  God  j^  that 
man,  I  mean,  who  does  not  live  like  animal&j'^-j*-  raised  far 
above  humanity,  draws  near  to  God  Himself.  The  point  to 
which  I  must  now  address  myself  is,  to  explain  of  what  kind 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God  is.  That  which  admits  not 
of  comparison  is  nothing  but  the  Self-existent  itself;  that  which 
is  compared  to  the  Self-existent  is  different  from  it,  but  like  to 
it.  The  perfect  God  is  without  flesh,  but  man  is  flesh.  The 
soul  is  the  bond  of  the  flesh,  and  the  flesh  holds  together  the 
soul.  Such  is  the  form  of  the  constitution  (of  man)  if  God 
chooses  to  dwell  in  it  by  His  ambassador,  the  Spirit,  that  it 
may  be  His  temple.*  But  if  it  is  not  so,  man  excels  the  beasts 
only  in  uttering  articulate  sounds ;  in  all  other  respects  he  is 

'  As  Tatian  here  speaks  of  a  kindred  spirit,  so  p.  145  D,  l»e  talks  of  a 
kindred  matter. 

^  P.  153  D. 

2  We  have  seen  that  in  the  passage  quoted  in  p.  133,  Tatian  calls  ihe 
more  powerful  Spirit  the  image  and  likeness  of  God. 

*  iia  rou  •prpurfhiioyTo;  vtivf/.a.-oi,  p.   1 54  B. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  137 

of  the  same  conversation  as  they,  being  no  longer  the  hkeness 
of  God." 

In  another  place  ^  Tatian  says,  that  "  the  perfect  Spirit  is,  so 
to  speak,  the  wings  of  the  soul,  which  the  soul  casting  off 
through  sin,  fluttered  like  a  newly-fledged  bird,  and  fell  to  the 
ground.  Passing  from  its  heavenly  society,  it  longed  for  an 
intercourse  with  inferior  things.  The  demons  quitted  their 
original  abode  :  the  first  created  human  beings  were  driven 
out.  The  former  were  expelled  from  heaven ;  the  latter  from 
earth,  not  this  earth,  but  one  better  than  this.  It  is  our  duty, 
then,  henceforward  to  aspire  to  our  ancient  state,  and  to  cast 
down  every  obstacle  which  impedes  our  progress."  And  again  :  2 
"We  have  learned  that,  of  which  we  were  ignorant,  through 
the  prophets,  who,  being  persuaded  that  the  spirit  together 
with  the  soul  will  receive  immortaUty — the  heavenly  covering 
of  mortality — foretold  things  which  other  souls  knew  not; 
and  it  is  possible  for  every  one  that  is  naked  to  obtain  this 
covering,  and  to  return  to  his  ancient  kindred." 

Tatian  is  particularly  careful  to  guard  against  the  notion 
that  man  fell  by  any  fatal  necessity,  "  We  were  not  created,' 
he  says,  "  to  die ;  but  we  die  through  our  own  fault.^     Our 

1  P.  158  D. 

^P.  159  B.  The  meaning  ot  this  passage  is  not  very  clear,  aiV/vsj  a^aa 
r-A  ■4'fX'?  'n't'Tiia'u.ivoi  oti  ^rviufia  ro  ovpavioy  'friv^uua  Ttis  hvjTortiro;,  t^v 
a'^avKT'otv,  x.ixrr,(nTa.i.  The  Benedictine  editors  wish  to  substitute  <rZu.a 
for  ■x'nvfici.  Tatian  says  in  another  place,  "Men,  after  the  loss  of  im- 
mortality, have  vanquished  death  by  dying  (to  the  world)  through  faith ; 
and  a  calling  has  been  given  to  them  through  repentance,  according  to 
the  words  of  Scripture,  '  They  were  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels' 
(Ps.  viii.  5).  It  is  possible  for  the  vanquished  to  vanquish  in  turn,  by 
renouncing  the  condition  of  death ;  and  what  that  is,  they  who  wish  for 
immortality  may  easily  see,"  p.  154  D.  See  also  p.  155  C,  iapux,  crv£u^ar« 
l-rovpav'iou  xa-^avXur/iivos,  "  The  heavenly  Spirit  arming  itself  with  a 
breastplate." 

^  P.  150  D. 


138  Some  Account  of  the 

freedom  has  destroyed  us.  When  we  were  free,  we  became 
slaves  :  we  were  sold  through  sin.  Nothing  evil  was  made  by 
God  :  we  brought  forth  wickedness  ;  and  they  who  brought  it 
forth  are  able  in  turn  to  renounce  it."  In  another  passage  he 
says  that  "  the  sin  of  man  was  the  cause  of  evil  in  the  natural 
world."  1 

The  inference  from  these  different  passages  seems  to  be 
that,  according  to  Tatian,  in  man  were  originally  united  a  spirit 
and  a  soul ;  the  former  of  purely  celestial  origin,  the  latter 
material ;  or,  to  speak  perhaps  more  accurately,  a  portion  of 
that  inferior  spirit  which  pervades  matter,^  Man  being,  with 
reference  to  this  material  soul,  peccable,  abused  the  freedom 
with  which  he  was  endowed,  and  hstening  to  the  suggestions 
of  wicked  demons,  refused  to  follow  the  guidance  of  the 
heavenly  Spirit,  Which  in  consequence  quitted  him.  Thus 
deserted  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  he  became  mortal ;  and  by  his 
sin  all  evil,  moral  and  natural,  was  introduced  into  the  world. 
As,  however,  he  fell  by  the  abuse  of  his  freedom,  so  by  the 
right  use  of  it  he  may  rise  again,  and  reunite  himself  to  the 
heavenly  Spirit,  and  thus  replace  himself  in  his  original  state 
of  innocence  and  happiness.  It  must  be  confessed  that  this 
account  of  the  original  state,  and  of  the  fall  of  man,  savours 
more  of  the  spirit  of  Gentile  philosophy  than  of  Scripture ;  yet 
m  one  respect  it  differs  not  greatly  from  that  scheme,  which 
assigns  as  the  cause  of  the  fall,  that  God  withdrew  the  special 
influences  of  His  presence  from  our  first  parents. 

I  find  in  Athenagoras  little  that  has  any  direct  bearing  on 
these  subjects.     On  one  occasion  he  is  censuring  those  who 

1  P.  158  D. 

2  See  the  passage  p.  144  D,  quoted  in  p.  133,  note  i.  Tatian  speaks 
of  the  evaporation  of  this  material  spirit,  when  the  flesh  is  annihilated 
by  fire,  p.  146  A.      xav  tS^  i^a(paviffri  TO  irapxiov,  t^arf/.KrSiiffat  rhi  uXn>  o  KoafiOi 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  139 

thought  that  they  sufficiently  established  the  truth  of  a  future 
resurrection,  by  saying  that  it  was  necessary  to  the  final 
judgment  of  mankind.*  "This  argument,"  he  says,  "is 
clearly  shown  to  be  inconclusive  by  the  fact  that,  although  all 
rise  again,  all  do  not  rise  to  judgment.  For  if  to  answer  the 
ends  of  justice  is  the  sole  cause  of  the  resurrection,  then  they, 
who  have  neither  done  good  nor  evil,  that  is,  very  young 
children,  need  not  rise."  Here  the  future  condemnation  of 
man  is  made  to  depend  entirely  on  the  commission  of  actual 
sin.  In  another  place  ^  he  says  that  "  man,  according  to  the 
design  of  his  Maker,  pursues  a  regular  course  with  reference  to 
his  nature  by  birth,  which  is  common  to  all ;  and  the  disposi- 
tion of  his  members,  which  does  not  transgress  its  peculiar 
law  ;  and  the  end  of  Hfe,  which  is  the  same  to  all ;  but,  accord- 
ing to  the  determinations  of  his  own  reason,  and  the  operation 
of  the  ruler  who  has  obtained  dominion  over  him,  and  of  the 
attendant  demons,  he  is  carried  in  different  directions ;  although 
the  power  of  reasoning  is  common  to  all."  The  ruler  to 
whom  Athenagoras  here  alludes  is  a  power  or  spirit,^  who  is 
conversant  with  and  pervades  matter,  and  being  opposed  to 
God,  induced  man  to  abuse  the  freedom  with  which  he  was 
endowed,  and  led  him  into  transgression.  On  the  subject  of 
the  Divine  Providence,  Athenagoras  says,*  that    "  they  who 

>  De  Mori.  Res.  p.  55  D.     Athenagoras  says  that  the  soul  is  immortal. 
Leg.  p.  30  D. 

*  Legatio,  p.  29  A. 

•  P.   27  A,  D.     Athenagoras  speaks   of  a  material   spirit.      Legaijo, 
pp.  30  C,  27  B. 

■*  OTi  Oil  rous  voin'rhii  rh  hov  tuuSs  rod  •ravroi  ■Tra.fcChi'i.afiitovi  rrri  roirou  creipia. 
xa,)  oixaisiruvi^  rhv  tuv  yivo/iivtuv  airavruit  avuTi^iiiai  (puXaKviv  ri  ko.)  <Tpovoixv, 
ityi  Tali  th'ia.ii  up^a.!:;  Trotpafiivitv  yiXoiiv'  rcturet  Si  ■rtpi  rourav  Ippovovvra;  fiJiSh 
nyiUff^a.!  fitin  tuv  xara  ytjv  /nr,Ti  tuv  xar  obpatov  a.vi'X'trp'o'TriuTov  f/.yX  avpovitirov, 
aXX  iTi  -prav  aipavi;  o/^oius  ko.)  (paivo[/,i)iov,  f^iKpov  rt  xa)  fjtilZ,ov,  ^ir,Ki>v(ra,v  yiyiaia- 
*£/y  T»jy  •jra.pa,  tou  TToina'ayTiis  iTriftiXnav.  iurai  yap  vdyra  ra  yivof/.iva  Tni 
^apa  rou  Toiviravros  iTifiiXsias-  Tiia;  %\  "xaffTov  xaf  0  ttI^uxi  xa.)  ^pi; 
tri^i/xty.     De  Mori,  Res,  p.  60  B. 


140  Some  Account  of  the 

admit  God  to  be  the  Creator  of  the  universe  must,  if  they 
mean  to  abide  by  their  own  principles,  refer  the  custody  and 
providence  over  all  things  to  His  wisdom  and  justice.  Under 
this  persuasion  they  must  think  that  everything,  both  in  earth 
and  heaven,  is  directed  and  governed  by  Providence  ;  and  that 
the  care  of  the  Creator  extends  to  all  things  alike,  whether 
unseen  or  seen,  whether  small  or  great.  For  all  created 
things  in  genei-al  stand  in  need  of  the  care  of  the  Creator  ;  and 
each  i?i  particular  according  to  its  nature  and  the  end  for 
which  it  was  created."  He  asserts  the  same  doctrine  in 
another  place ;  ^  although,  like  Justin,  he  ascribes  to  God  a 
general  superintendence  over  the  universe,  and  says  that  the 
angels  were  appointed  to  watch  over  the  different  parts. 

Theophilus,2  speaking  of  wild  beasts  and  noxious  animals, 
affirms  that  "  nothing  evil  proceeded  from  God  :  all  things 
were  originally  good,  very  good.  But  man  by  his  transgression 
affected  other  living  things  with  evil ;  for  when  he  transgressed, 
they  transgressed  with  him.  —  When,  however,  man  shall 
return  to  his  original  state,  and  cease  to  do  evil,  they  also  shall 
return  to  their  original  gentleness."  A  considerable  portion  of 
the  second  book  consists  of  a  comment  on  the  account  of  the 
creation  given  in  the  book  of  Genesis.  Speaking  of  the 
creation  of  man,  Theophilus  alleges,^  as  a  proof  of  his  superior 
dignity,  that,  whereas  God  created  all  other  things  by  a  word. 
He  considered  the  creation  of  man  a  work  worthy  of  His  own 
hands ;  and  as  if  He  even  stood  in  need  of  assistance,  said  to 
His  Word  and  Wisdom,  "  Let  us  make  man,"  etc.  Man 
after  his  creation  was  placed  in  Paradise,*  the  means  of  im- 

^  Legatio,  pp.  29  A,  27  C. 
2  L.  ii.  p.  96  B. 

*  P.  96  C.  There  is  a  description  of  Paradise,  p.  97  D.  See  also 
p.  loi  B. 

*  P.  loi  D.  Theophilus  says  that  Adam  was  rot  forbidden  to  eat  of 
the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life.     He  repeats  his  notion  respecting  this  inter- 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  141 

provement  being  afforded  him,  so  that  he  might  go  on  to 
perfection ;  and  being  at  length  declared  a  god,  might  ascend 
into  heaven.i  For  he  was  created  in  a  sort  of  intermediate 
state  ;  neither  wholly  mortal,  nor  wholly  immortal,  but  capable 
of  both  conditions.  Adam  was  forbidden  to  eat  of  the  fruit  of 
the  tree  of  knowledge,  because,  being  yet  in  a  state  of  infancy, 
he  could  not  worthily  receive  knowledge.^  Some  appear  to  have 
thought  that  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  was  evil  in 
itself,  and  therefore  productive  of  death.  This  Theophilus 
denies,  and  says  that  knowledge  is  in  itself  good.  "  It  was 
not,  therefore,  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  brought  pain,  and 
sorrow,  and  death  into  the  world,  but  Adam's  disobedience. 
God,  however,  when  He  cast  our  first  parents  out  of  Paradise, 
determined  in  His  mercy  that  they  should  not  continue  for 
ever  in  sin ;  but  having  been  punished  by  banishment,  and 
disciplined  for  an  appointed  time,  should  be  restored  to 
Paradise.  This  restoration  will  take  place  after  the  resurrec- 
tion. For  as  an  earthen  vessel  which  has  a  flaw  is  broken  up 
and  formed  anew  by  the  potter,  that  it  may  be  sound  and 
perfect,  so  man  is  broken  to  pieces  by  the  power  of  death, 
that  he  may  be  rendered  sound  in  the  resurrection ;  that  is  to 
say,  without  spot,  just  and  immortal."     In  conformity  to  this 

mediate  state  of  man  in  p.  103  C.  "  If  God  had  created  man  immortal, 
He  would  have  made  him  a  god  ;  if  mortal,  God  would  have  appeared  to 
be  the  author  of  his  death,  Man  was  therefore  made  capable  of  both 
conditions  :  that,  keeping  the  commandment  of  God,  he  might  receive 
immortality  as  a  reward,  and  become  a  god  ;  or,  disobeying  God,  might 
be  the  author  to  himself  of  death."  Theophilus  says  that  the  majority 
deemed  the  soul  immortal,  because  God  breathed  the  breath  of  life  into 
Adam's  nostrils,  p.  97  C. 

1  £t;  It  Ko.)  hos  aviK^iix^us,  Justin  uses  the  expression,  riXila  yivo/^'ivto, 
"having  become  perfect."  Dial.  p.  225  D.  Man  is  called  vXxfff^ix.  ko.) 
iixojM  &iov,   "a  figure  and  image  of  God."     L.  i.  p.  72  A. 

^  P.  102  A.  The  Benedictine  editors  employ  a  chapter  of  their  Preface 
in  proving  that  Theophilus,  when  he  calls  Adam  an  infant,  speaks 
nictaj-horlcally. 


142  Some  Account  of  the 

view  of  Adam's  original  state  and  fall,  Theophllus  states  that 
God  created  him  free.' 

Though  I  find  nothing  in  the  three  books  of  Theophilus 
which  has  a  direct  bearing  on  the  question  of  justification, 
there  is  in  the  first  book  a  passage,  p.  74  D,  deserving  notice, 
in  which  he  describes  faith  as  the  moving  principle  of  human 
conduct.  With  respect  to  the  Divine  Providence,  Theophilus 
says,^  that  it  may  be  traced  in  the  provision  made,  that  every 
kind  of  flesh  should  have  its  appropriate  food.  "  The  care  of 
God,"  he  says  in  another  place,^  "  extends  to  the  dead  as 
well  as  to  the  living." 

P.  65,  note  3.  The  expression  8ta  tov  Trap'  avrou  (tou 
®eoi))  A-oyou  occurs  repeatedly  in  Athenagoras,  pp.  5  C,  1 1  A, 
12  D,  17  D,  34  D.  In  all  these  instances  it  is  to  be  under- 
stood of  the  Xoyos. 

P.  67.  Justin  speaks  of  the  renunciation  of  all  worldly 
things,  but  not  with  any  direct  reference  to  the  profession 
made  in  baptism,  p.  348  A.  I  find  in  Tatian  no  express 
reference  either  to  baptism  or  the  Eucharist.  A  passage  has 
already  been  cited,  in  which  he  speaks  of  himself  as  "  born 
anew  according  to  the  imitation  of  the  Word."  * 

Athenagoras  is  also  silent  respecting  the  Christian  sacra- 
ments. In  defending  the  Christians  against  the  charge  of 
not    offering  sacrifices    to    the   gods,  he   says  that    the   best 

^  iXivhpav  ya,f  xa)  alri^ovtriov  i'Tfoiyiiriv  o  @ios  rev  cLvSpa'^ov,  "  God  created 
man  free  and  independent,"  p.  103  D.  So  also  rh  a.^(poi-7n>v  ki/^/ov  «vra 
a.fjt,a.frr,ffai,   "  man  had  failed  to  be  a  lord,"  L.  ii.  p.  96  B. 

2  rfiv  n  'Kf'nioia.t  y\v  •jtoiii'rol.t  h  ©£«,  \rotiJ.uZ,uv  'rpi>(phii  Vaffri  irapxi,  L.  1. 
p.  71  A.  See  also  L.  iii.  p.  122  D.  x.a.)  ■^povoia  ra  •jraira,  'hioiKziaSct.t 
IvifTaiiiSa.,   "  And  we  know  that  all  things  were  ordered  by  Providence." 

3  L.  ii.  p.  116  B. 

*  xiyu  Kara,  rh  tov  X'oyav  it-'iftwi'i  avayivunhU,  p.   I45  C.      See  note  25. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  143 

sacrifice  is  to  know  the  true  God,  and  to  approach  Him 
with  pure  uphfted  hands.^  He  requires  only  a  bloodless 
sacrifice,  and  a  reasonable  worship. 

Theophilus,  on  one  occasion, ^  says  that  Christians  are  so 
called,  because  they  are  anointed  with  the  oil  of  God ;  but 
whether  he  meant  to  allude  to  the  practice  of  anointing  as  a 
part  of  the  ceremony  of  baptism,  or,  figuratively,  to  the  unction 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  uncertain.  On  another  occasion  he  says  ^ 
that  God,  in  the  work  of  creation,  blessed  the  creatures 
inhabiting  the  waters,  to  show  that  hereafter  all  who  come  to 
the  truth,  and  are  regenerated  and  receive  a  blessing  from 
God,  shall  obtain  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  through 
water  and  the  laver  of  regeneration.  Theophilus  twice  uses 
the  word  iio/jLoXoyrjcns  to  express  that  confession  of  sin  which 
originates  in  genuine  repentance,  but  not  with  any  reference 
to  ecclesiastical  discipline.* 

P.  73,  note  I.  In  1.  2,  p.  91  D,  Theophilus  says,  en  ixi^v 
KoX  irepi  Trj';  €/38oyu,7js  rjfjt.epa';,  ^v  Travres  /xev  avOpw-rroL  ovo/Jid^ovaiv, 
01  8e  7rA.etovs  d-yvoovcriv   on  Trap'  'EySpatois  o  KaXarai  (Ta./3j3aTov 

^  aXXa  ivff'ta  auTu  fnyiffTtj,  riv  yiyvaiirxc>ii/,iv  ns  i^iTlivi  x,a]  ffuyicipaipairi 
rous  ovpixyovs — orccv — i'jraipaf/^lv  offiovs  ^iipas  avra,  rroias  en  ^piiav  txa.TCf/-[inS 
tp^ii  ;   .    .   .    KatToi   Tpocripifiiiv  Vtov   ava/^axrav   6v(ria.v,  ko-i  t?)v  Xoyixm  •^poffayu)! 

Karpita.v.     Legatio,  p.  13  B,  C,  D. 

^  Toiyapovv  tif^iTs  tovtov  uvixiv  xaXoviii^a.  H.piffTiavor  bti  ^piiifj,iSa,  iXiciov 
©£ou.      L.  i.  p.  77  C. 

^  in  (liiv  xai  ivXoyri^n  u^ro  rov  0i/>v  <ra.  \x  raiv  vdaruv  yivif/,iya,  o'ttms  n  xa.) 
Tovro  us  ^iTyfid  tov  //.iXXsiv  Xnfifiavuv  revs  a,v§pu-!rou;  fiiravoixv  xa)  a.(pi<^!yi 
auapTiuv  S(as  i/'Saros  xa)  XouTpov  mXiyyiviria;  vavra;  rov;  'irpoaioiTai  t^  aX-n 
hia  xa)  avaysvvctif/.ivoii;  xa)  Xafifiavovras  ivXoyiav  ■xapa  rod  Qiov,  L.  ii. 
p.  95  B.  Tertullian  calls  Christians  Pisciculi,  de  Baptismo,  c.  i.  See 
my  work  on  that  author,  c.  I,  note  73.  Theophilus  has  been  supposed  to 
allude  to  baptism  in  the  concluding  words  of  the  third  book,  aVw;  o-;^?; 
gvft.^aXi'i  xai  appafiuia.  rn;  dxvid'ta;,  "That  you  may  have  a  Symbol  and 
earnest  of  the  truth." 

'  L.  ii.  pp.  103  B,  105  C. 


144  Some  Account  of  the 

ovo/xa^erat  /xev,  8t'  ^v  Se  alrioiv  Ka\ov(TLV  avTr]v  ovk  iniCTTavTat. 

P.  75.  Tatian,  as  we  have  seen,  agrees  with  his  master, 
Justin,  in  afifirming  that  the  soul  is  not  immortal.  "  The  soul, 
O  Grecians,  is  not  immortal  in  itself,  but  mortal.  It  may, 
however,  escape  death.  For,  being  ignorant  of  the  truth,  it 
dies  and  is  dissolved  together  with  the  body ;  and  rises  again 
together  with  the  body  at  the  consummation  of  all  things, 
suffering  death  by  a  punishment  of  eternal  duration.  On  the 
other  hand,  having  obtained  the  knowledge  of  God,  it  dies 
not,  though  it  is  dissolved  for  a  time.  For  in  itself  it  is  dark- 
ness, and  there  is  no  light  in  it."  ^  In  a  subsequent  passage 
he  says  that  "the  soul  is  not  simple,  but  complex — being 
compound,  so  as  to  be  visible  through  the  body.  For  neither 
can  it  appear  without  the  body,  nor  does  the  flesh  rise  again 
without  the  soul.  Man  is  not,  as  some  babblers  affirm,  a 
rational  animal,  capable  of  intelligence  and  knowledge.  For 
irrational  creatures  will  be  shown  to  be,  according  to  them, 
capable  of  intelligence  and  knowledge."  ^  On  another  occasion 
he  says  that  the  soul  is  the  bond  of  (that  which  keeps  to- 
gether) the  flesh,  and  that  the  flesh  holds  in  the  soul.^ 

Viewing  these  passages  in  connexion  with  others  already 
quoted  in  this  chapter,*  we  find  that  Tatian  conceived  man  to 
consist  of  a  body  and  soul.  The  soul  is  a  portion  of  the 
spirit  pervading  matter,  and  consequently  not  in  itself  im- 
mortal ;  and  the  union  between  the  soul  and  body  is  dissolved 
by  death.  But  after  the  consummation  of  all  things  the  body 
will  rise  again,^  and  the  soul  be  reunited  to  it,  and  the  general 

1  P.  152  B,  quoted  in  p.  134.  ^  P.  153  D. 

quoted  in  p.  187.  *  Pp.  134-138- 

^  P.  145  D.  We  find  \i  hy-iiiti  <ruvriXiitts  -rupls  aloitlov  ^opa  -xafMoSngiTaty 
"On  the  d'.iy  of  consummation  it  will  be  delivered  to   the  gluttony  of 


Writings  of  Jtistin  Martyr.  145 

judgment  will  take  place.  They  who  have  during  this  life 
endeavoured  to  unite  their  souls  to  the  Divine  Spirit  will 
attain  to  an  eternity  of  happiness ;  they  who  have  allowed 
their  souls  to  sink  downwards,  and  to  be  occupied  entirely 
with  material  things,  will  be  doomed  to  an  eternity  of 
misery. 

According  to  Athenagoras,  God  made  man  of  an  immortal 
soul  and  a  body,  and  gave  him  intelligence,  and  a  law  im- 
planted in  his  nature.^  If,  however,  the  soul  unites  itself  to 
the  spirit  pervading  matter,  and  looks  not  upwards  to  the 
heavens  and  to  their  Creator,  but  downwards  to  the  earth,  as 
if  it  was  mere  flesh  and  blood,  it  ceases  to  be  a  pure  spirit.^ 
The  opinions  of  Athenagoras,^  respecting  the  resurrection  of 
the  body,  are  detailed  in  the  tract  which  he  wrote  expressly  on 
that  subject.  In  it  may  be  found  nearly  all  the  arguments 
which  human  reason  has  been  able  to  advance  in  support  of 
the  doctrine. 


eternal  fire,"  p.  155  D.  Tatian  affirms  that  above  the  visible  heavens 
exist  the  better  ages,  a.\aiii  al  xpii-rrovi;,  having  no  change  of  seasons,  from 
which  various  diseases  take  their  origin  ;  but  blessed  with  an  uniform 
goodness  of  temperature,  they  enjoy  perpetual  day,  and  light  inaccessible 
to  men  who  dwell  here  below,  p.  159  A.  In  contradistinction  from 
those  better  ages,  he  calls  the  present  state  of  things  rohs  xaf  rifia,;  alSms, 
p.  145  p.         ^        ^ 

■'■   Kaf  i)v  I'Toirio'lv  a-iSfwrtoy  la  -^UX'"''  a^avamti  x,al  (nu/j.a.Tos,   voZv  n  ffvyKcrir- 

Kiiccriv  a'jTu  xa.)  vofAsv  ifji.(puri>i,  ».  r.  i.  Di  Mort.  Res.  p.  54  A.  Compare 
Legatio,  p.  31  A. 

^  'Ttaay^u  Ss  mZro  '^pv^h  (iaXiaTO,  rou  uXikov  VfioirXafiouffoi,  xai  l'riiruyxpah7<ra 
•^viufiCCTOs,  ov  Tpos  Tcc  olfaviot.  xa.)  rov  roura/v  oroitjTtiy,  aXXa  xaru  ■xpoi  to,  i^riytiin 
fiXi-rovira  xaSoXixus  {us  yn^  f.  Om.)  us  //.'ovov  alfx.a  xa)  irccfl,  ouxiri  ■rviVf/.a, 
xaSafov  yiyvafiivfi.       Legatio.,  p.  30  C. 

^  In  the  Legatio,  Athenagoras  says  that  after  death  the  good  will  remain 
with  God,  exempt  from  change  and  suffering  as  to  their  soul ;  not  as  flesh, 
though  they  will  have  flesh,  but  as  an  heavenly  spirit,  p.  35  D.  See  also 
p.  39  B,  C,  where  he  intimates  an  intention  of  writing  expressly  on  the 
resurrection  of  the  body. 


146  So7ne  Account  of  the 

We  have  seen  that  Theophilus  describes  Adam  as  neither 
mortal  nor  immortal  when  created,  but  capable  of  either  con- 
dition.^ In  order  to  obtain  immortality,  man  must  believe  in 
God  and  fear  Him.^  For  God  will  raise  up  his  flesh  in  a 
state  of  immortality  together  with  his  soul ;  and,  being  made 
immortal,  he  will  see  God  perfectly.  Theophilus  speaks  of 
the  punishment  to  be  undergone  by  the  wicked  hereafter  as 
eternal.^  We  have  remarked  that,  according  to  Theophilus, 
man  will,  after  the  resurrection,  be  restored  to  Paradise,*  which 
he  describes  as  situated  on  this  earth,  in  the  eastern  parts, 
refulgent  with  light,  and  abounding  in  beautiful  plants.^ 

P.  79.  In  stating  Tatian's  notions  respecting  the  fall  of 
man,  we  quoted  a  passage  in  which  it  is  said  that,  before  the 
creation  of  man,  the  Aoyo?  created  angels,  who  were  endowed 
with  freedom ;  ^  that  one  of  these  angels,  to  whom  Tatian 
applies  the  epithet  "  first-born,"  being  more  subtle  than  the 
rest,'''  rebelled  against  the  divine  law,  and  persuaded  others 
to  join  him  in  his  revolt,  and  to  proclaim  him  as  a  god. 
That,  in  consequence  of  this  revolt,  he  and  his  followers  were 
excluded  from  the  divine  intercourse,  and  became  a  host  of 
demons,  he  being  their  chief.  They  taught  men  to  believe  that 
all  events  happened  by  a  fatal  necessity,^  being  dependent 

1  P.  193.  He  says,  also,  that  the  majority  concluded  the  soul  to  be 
immortal,  because  God  is  said  in  Scripture  to  have  breathed  into  Adam's 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  thus  to  have  made  him  a  Hving  soul.  L.  ii. 
p.  97  C. 

2  L.  i.  p.  74  C.  In  p.  77  D,  Theophilus  urges  some  of  the  common 
arguments,  in  order  to  show  that  the  resurrection  of  the  body  is  probable. 
See  also  1.  ii.  pp.  93  B,  94  D. 

3  L.  i.  p.  79  A,  C ;  1.  ii.  p.  1 10  D.  *  P.  140. 

*  Compare  p.  97  D,  with  p.  loi  B.  "  P.  133. 

'  The  Greek  word  is  ippv/^<u7£/)«;  {(ppovif/.uraros  in  the  Septuagint).  The 
serpent  is  described  in  Gen.  iii.  as  more  subtle  than  any  beast  of  the 
field. 

*  'hiaypafjif/.tt,  yap  auroTs  affrpohirice.;  avadii^avra,  tlxr-Trif  oi  roli  Kvfiois  ^a/^o>r£f, 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  147 

upon  the  position  of  the  stars,  of  which  they  drew  schemes. 
For,  when  expelled  from  heaven,  they  sojourned  among  the 
different  animals  which  either  creep  on  the  earth,  or  swim  in 
the  waters,  or  range  the  mountains ;  and  in  order  that  they 
might  be  thought  still  to  dwell  in  heaven,  and  might  give  a 
specious  appearance  to  their  irrational  life,  they  raised  the 
creatures  among  which  they  lived  to  heaven,  and  named  the 
constellations  after  them.  Hence  the  names  of  the  signs  of 
the  Zodiac. 

In  a  subsequent  passage  ^  Tatian  says :  "  The  demons  (so 
you  call  them),  taking  their  composition  from  matter,  and 
having  the  spirit  which  is  in  it,  became  intemperate  and 
luxurious;  some  of  them  turning  to  the  purer,  some  to  the 
inferior  portions  of  matter,  and  framing  their  conduct  accord- 
ingly. These,  O  Greeks,  you  worship,  though  formed  out  of 
matter,  and  having  deviated  far  from  their  appointed  and 
regular  course.  For  the  above-mentioned  (demons),  turning 
aside  through  their  folly  to  vainglory,  and  casting  off  all 
control,  desired  to  steal  the  honours  of  divinity, — and  the 
Lord  of  the  universe  has  permitted  them  to  revel  (in  their 


T»jy  si/:ia.p//,ivf]v  ilfti'y^fKVTO  kiav  ccSixov,  p.  I47  A,  So  p.  I48  B.  roidvroi 
Ti¥is  (iiriv  01  da.if^o)iis,  curai  01  rnv  iifiap//.tv>!v  aipiirav  (rToip^iicoifii  01  avroii  n 
l^uurij  «v,  X,  T.  I.  "Such  were  the  demons  who  traced  out  their  destiny. 
But  enchantment  was  their  means  of  making  alive."  The  word  (rroi^iiuffis 
is  used  with  reference  to  the  artifices  of  the  demons,  first  in  producing 
diseases,  and  afterwards  in  removing  them,  p.  156  B.  Saturn  and  the 
other  planets  and  stars  are  called  rjjs  tlfia.pf/,ivn;  cUovo/^oi,  ' '  the  managers  of 
destiny,"  pp.  149  B,  150  A. 

^  P.  151  C.  Tatian,  as  we  have  seen,  held  that  the  ayyiXas  ■prpctr'oyo^os, 
"first-born  angel,"  and  his  followers,  after  their  revolt,  became  demons. 
He  now  appears  to  be  speaking  of  their  subsequent  condition,  when  they 
had  departed  still  further  from  their  allegiance  to  God.  The  Paris  editors 
are  careful  to  guard  the  readers  of  Tatian  against  what  they  term  his  error, 

in  supposing  that  demons  are  material.     Tatian  applies  the  term  Sai'/iovsy, 

'  demons,"  to  the  heathen  gods,  p.  165  A. 


148  Some  Account  of  the 

rebellion)  until  the  world  shall  come  to  an  end,  and  be  dis- 
solved, and  the  Judge  shall  appear,  and  all  men  who,  notwith- 
standing the  opposition  of  the  demons,  aspire  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  perfect  God,  shall  receive  through  their  trials  a  more 
perfect  testimony  in  the  day  of  judgment." 

But  though  the  demons  are  material,  they  have  not  flesh.i 
Their  composition  is  spiritual,  like  that  of  fire  or  air.  Their 
bodies,  consequently,  cannot  be  seen,  excepting  by  those  who 
are  guarded  by  the  Spirit  of  God  :  those  who  are  only  animal 
(01  ifruxiKol)  cannot  see  them.  On  this  account,  also,  the  sub- 
stance of  demons  has  no  place  of  repentance ;  for  they  are  the 
brightness  (dTravyacr/AaTa)  of  matter  and  evil — and  the  design 
of  matter  is  always  to  bring  the  soul  within  its  power.  Hence 
the  sole  object  of  the  demons  is  to  lead  men  away  from  the 
truth.  With  this  view  they  invented  the  arts  of  divination 
and  set  up  the  Oracles.^  They  employ  every  artifice  to 
prevent  the  soul  from  rising  upwards,  and  pursuing  its  way 
to  heaven.^  If  they  possessed  the  power,  they  would  drag 
down  the  heavens,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  creation ;  ^  but, 

1  P.  154  C.  Tatian  afterwards  says  that  the  demons  occasionally  ex- 
hibited themselves  to  the  -^uxixoi,  p.  155  B. 

2  P.  152  B.  Compare  p.  153  B,  where  Tatian,  after  he  has  observed 
that  the  demons  deceive  solitary  (deserted  by  the  diviner  Spirit)  souls  by 
visions,  adds  that,  "as  they  have  not  flesh,  they  do  not  easily  die  ;  but 
even  while  living  they  work  the  works  of  death,  themselves  dying  as  often 
as  they  discipline  their  followers  in  sin  ;  so  that  what  is  peculiar  to  them 
at  present,  viz.  that  they  do  not  die  like  men,  will,  when  they  come  to  be 
punished,  be  the  cause  of  their  dying  through  all  eternity.  The  short- 
ness of  man's  existence  curtails  his  power  of  transgression ;  whereas  the 
demons,  whose  existence  is  infinite,  contract  an  infinite  guilt."  I  am  not 
sure  that  I  understand  the  author's  meaning  in  this  passage,  in  which  he 
seems  strangely  to  confound  natural  with  spiritual  death ;  but  I  conceive 
it  to  be  that  no  change  can  take  place  in  the  condition  of  demons,  because 
they  are  not  subject  to  death  as  men  are  ;  they  go  on  sinning  to  eternity — 
a  state  which  he  calls  eternal  death. 

''  P.  155  A.  '  P.  liS  C. 


Writings  of  Jzistin  Martyr.  149 

as  they  cannot  effect  this,  they  are  continually — by  means  of 
the  inferior  matter — warring  against  the  matter  which  is  similar 
to  themselves.  Successfully  to  resist  them,  we  must  put  on 
the  breastplate  of  the  Heavenly  Spirit.  One  great  object  of 
the  demons  is,  to  persuade  man  that  whatever  happens  to 
him,  either  of  good  or  evil,  whether  he  falls  sick  or  recovers 
from  sickness,  is  owing  to  their  agency.'  To  this  end  they 
invented  amulets,  philters,  and  charms,  in  order  that  man 
might  be  induced  to  trust  to  them,  or,  at  least,  to  the  pro- 
perties of  matter,  rather  than  to  his  Creator. 

On  one  occasion  Tatian  combats  the  notion  that  the 
demons  are  the  souls  of  dead  men.^  "For  how,"  he  asks, 
"  can  souls  become  efficient  agents  after  death  ?  unless  we 
suppose  that  man,  after  death,  can  acquire  greater  powers  of 
action  than  he  possessed  while  living." 

We  have  seen  that  Athenagoras  speaks  of  angels  to  whom 
God  assigned  the  office  of  watching  over  the  well-being  of  the 
universe,^  In  a  subsequent  passage,*  having  recited  the 
opinions  of  the  Gentile  philosophers  respecting  demons,  he 
goes  on  to  explain  his  own  views  of  the  subject.  He  says 
that  '*  Christians,  in  addition  to  the  Father,  the  Son  His 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  acknowledge  other  powers,  con- 
versant about  matter  and  pervading  it,  one  of  whom  is  opposed 
to  God ;  not  as  strife  is  to  friendship  in  the  system  of  Empe- 
docles,  or  night  to  day  in  the  phenomena  of  nature  (since 
anything  actually  opposed  to  God  must  cease  to  exist,  its  very 
composition  being  dissolved  by  the  power  and  force  of  God) ; 
but  because  to  the  goodness  of  God,  which  is  His  inseparable 

^  P.  15s  c. 

'^  P.  154  D.     The  passage  is  corrupt,  but  the  meaning  clear. 
^  P.  139.     See  p.  II  A. 

*  Legatio,  p.  27  A.  I  have  given  the  sense  rather  than  a  literal 
translation  of  the  passage. 


1 50  Some  Account  of  the 

attribute,  is  opposed  the  spirit  conversant  with  matter,  created 
indeed  by  God,  as  the  other  angels  were  created  by  Him,  and 
entrusted  with  the  administration  of  matter  and  its  forms. 
For  the  angels  were  created  by  God  with  reference  to  His 
various  works;  that,  as  God  exercised  a  general  providence 
over  the  universe,  they  might  exercise  a  particular  providence 
over  the  different  parts  assigned  them.  But,  as  in  the  case  of 
men  who  are  free  to  choose  virtue  and  vice  (since  you  would 
neither  honour  the  good  nor  punish  the  bad,  unless  virtue 
and  vice  were  in  their  own  power)  some  are  found  faithful, 
some  unfaithful,  in  that  with  which  they  are  entrusted ;  so  of 
the  angels,  some  continued  such  as  they  were  created  by  God, 
fulfilling  the  ends  for  which  He  created  and  designed  them, 
but  others  abused  both  their  nature  and  the  power  committed 
to  them ;  among  them  the  ruler  of  matter  and  its  forms,  and 
others  who  were  placed  immediately  around  its  first  firmament ; 
they  smitten  with  the  desire  of  women,  and  yielding  to  carnal 
lusts ;  he  becoming  negligent  and  faithless  about  the  administra- 
tion of  that  with  which  he  was  entrusted.  From  the  intercourse 
of  the  angels  with  women  sprang  those  who  are  called  giants. 
The  angels,  therefore,  who  were  expelled  from  heaven,  hovering 
about  the  air  and  earth,  and  no  longer  able  to  elevate  themselves 
to  heavenly  things,  and  the  souls  of  the  giants,  who  are  the 
demons,  wandering  about  the  world,  excite  motions  corre- 
sponding, some  to  the  substances  which  the  demons  assumed, 
others  to  the  desires  which  the  angels  felt.  But  the  ruler  of 
matter,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  events  which  happen,  opposes 
himself  in  his  whole  conduct  to  the  goodness  of  God.  So 
much  were  even  the  Gentiles  struck  with  the  confusion  apparent 
throughout  the  world,  that  they  doubted  whether  it  was  under 
the  direction  of  Providence ;  and  Aristotle  determined  that 
the  parts  below  the  heavens  were  not.  Whereas  the  general 
providence  of  God  extends  alike  to  all  things,  and  each  par- 
ticular thing  follows  its  own  particular  law ;  but  the  motions 
and  influences  of  the  demons  introduce  these  disorders,  im- 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  1 5 1 

pelHng  individuals  and  nations,  in  part  and  generally,  from 
within  and  from  without,  according  to  the  proportion  subsist- 
ing between  matter  and  the  affection  to  divine  things.  On 
which  account,  some  men  of  no  small  repute  thought  that 
the  universe  was  not  constituted  with  any  order,  but  was  driven 
about  by  irrational  chance ;  being  ignorant  that,  with  reference 
to  the  composition  of  the  universe,  nothing  is  without  its  fixed 
object,  or  is  neglected,  and  that  there  is  a  reason  for  the 
creation  of  each  part,  so  that  it  never  transgresses  its  appointed 
order."  Then  follows  a  passage  already  quoted,^  relating  to 
the  original  constitution  of  man ;  after  which  Athenagoras 
adds,  "  The  powers  which  draw  men  towards  idols  are  the 
above-mentioned  demons,  who  settle  upon  the  victims,  and 
suck  the  blood ;  but  the  gods,  in  whom  the  multitude  delights, 
and  whose  names  are  given  to  the  statues,  were  men,  as  we 
may  know  from  their  respective  histories."  ^  He  then  states 
that  the  demons  in  reality  exert  the  powers  which  are  ascribed 
by  the  vulgar  to  the  idols ;  and  goes  on  to  explain  the  mode 
in  which  men  are  perverted  to  the  worship  of  idols.  ^  His 
notion  is,  that  "the  irrational  and  visionary  movements  of 
the  soul  with  respect  to  opinions,  call  up  different  idols ; 
sometimes  extracting  them  out  of  matter ;  sometimes  framing 
and  begetting  them  to  themselves.  And  the  soul  is  principally 
subject  to  this  affection,  when  it  lays  hold  of,  and  is  mixed  up 
with,  the  material  spirit ;  not  looking  upwards  to  heavenly  things 
and  to  their  Maker,  but  downwards  entirely  to  the  earth,  as  if  it 
were  only  flesh  and  blood,  and  no  longer  a  pure  spirit.  These 
irrational  and  visionary  movements  of  the  soul  beget  imagina- 

1  P.  139- 

^  Athenagoras  proves  this  at  great  length,  p.  31  A. 

'  P.  30  C.  Athenagoras  seems  in  this  passage  to  use  the  word  i^uXot 
ambiguously ;  either  to  signify  an  image  presented  to  the  mind,  or  a 
material  object  of  worship.  Concerning  the  powers  exerted  by  the  idols, 
raj  itio>Xu-i  hipyiixs,  see  pp.  1 7  C,  25  A,  where  Athenagoras  admits  that 
some  wonders  are  wrought  by  the  idols,  but  says  that  they  ought  not  to 
be  ascribed  to  the  gods  whose  names  the  idols  bear. 


152  Some  Account  of  the 

tions  leading  to  a  mad  desire  of  idols.  But  when  the  tender 
and  flexible  soul,  untaught,  and  unacquainted  with  sound  reason- 
ings, having  never  contemplated  the  truth,  or  comprehended  in 
its  thought  the  Father  and  Maker  of  the  universe,  receives  the 
impression  of  these  false  opinions,  the  demons,  who  hover 
about  matter,  sucking  up  the  steam  and  blood  of  the  victims, 
laying  hold,  in  order  to  deceive  man,  of  these  movements 
of  the  souls  of  the  multitude  which  lead  to  falsehood,  cause 
images  to  flow  into  them,  as  if  proceeding  from  the  idols 
and  images,  the  names  of  which  they  have  appropriated  to 
themselves.  Thus,  too,  the  demons  obtain  the  credit  of 
those  rational  movements  of  the  soul  which  belong  to  it 
as  immortal,  when  it  either  foretells  the  future  or  remedies 
the  present." 

Theophilus  appears  to  have  written  a  work,^  in  which  he  had 
said  much  respecting  Satan,  whom  he  describes  as  still  work- 
ing in  men,  and  calls  a  demon  and  dragon,  assigning  as  the 
reason  for  this  latter  name  that  he  was  a  fugitive  from  God ; 
for  he  was  originally  an  angel.  ^  Speaking  of  the  heathen 
poets,  Theophilus  says  that  they  were  inspired  by  demons ; 
and  in  proof  of  this  assertion  states  that,  when  men  under  the 
influence  of  a  demoniacal  possession  were  exorcised  in  the 
name  of  the  true  God,  the  spirits  which  seduced  them  confessed 
themselves  to  be  demons.^ 

With  respect  to  the  gods  of  the  heathen,  Theophilus 
affirms  repeatedly  that  they  were  dead  men.'*  He  calls  them 
also  demons,  impure  demons ;  whence  we  may  infer  that  he 
agreed  with  Athenagoras  in  thinking,  though  he  does  not 
expressly   say   so,    that  the   demons  were   the   instigators  of 

'  L.  ii.  p.  104  D. 

*  §;a  to  et^o^iSpaxiticii  aurov  octto  rov  @iov,  p.   IO4  D. 

3  L.  ii.  p.  87  C. 

*  L.  i.  pp.  75  A,  76  A  ;  1,  ii.  pp.  80  D,  86  B,  1 10  A, 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  153 

idolatry,  and  reaped  the  advantage  of  the  worship  which  they 
caused  to  be  paid  to  the  statues  of  dead  men.^ 

P.  85.  Tatian,  speaking  in  his  own  person,  thus  describes 
the  moral  character  of  the  Christians  of  his  day  :  ^  "  I  wish  not 
to  reign ;  I  wish  not  to  be  rich ;  I  avoid  military  office ;  I 
abhor  fornication ;  I  will  not  make  long  voyages  through  the 
insatiate  desire  of  gain ;  I  contend  not  at  games  in  order  to 
obtain  a  crown ;  I  am  far  removed  from  the  mad  love  of  glory ; 
I  despise  death ;  I  am  superior  to  every  kind  of  disease ;  my 
soul  is  not  consumed  by  grief.  If  I  am  a  slave,  I  submit  to 
my  servitude ;  if  I  am  free,  I  pride  not  myself  in  my  noble 
birth.  I  see  one  sun  common  to  all ;  I  see  one  death  common 
to  all,  whether  they  live  in  pleasure  or  in  want." 

In  a  subsequent  passage  Tatian  says  :  ^  "With  us  there  is  no 
desire  of  vainglory,  and  we  consequently  affect  not  a  variety 
of  doctrines ;  but  separated  from  the  vulgar  and  earthly  senti- 
ment, and  obeying  the  precepts  of  God,  and  following  the  law 
of  the  father  of  incorruption,  we  renounce  all  that  rests  on 
human  opinion.  Not  only  do  the  rich  learn  philosophy,  but 
the  poor  also  enjoy  instruction  gratis;*  for  that  which  comes 
from  God  cannot  be  paid  for  by  any  worldly  compensation. 
Thus  we  receive  all  who  wish  to  hear,  even  though  they  are 
old  women  or  children.  In  a  word,  all  ages  receive  honour 
with  us ;  but  all  lasciviousness  is  far  removed  from  us."  Speak- 
ing of  his  own  conversion  to  Christianity,  Tatian  says  ^  that, 
"  observing  the  trifling  questions  on  which  the  Gentiles,  who 
affected  the  character  of  wisdom,  employed  themselves  ;  their 
ignorance  of  all  that  really  deserved  to  be  known;  their 
presumption  :  their  pride ;  the  variety  of  opinions  which  pre- 

>  L.  i.  p.  76  C;  1.  iii.  p.  Ii8  A. 

2  P.  150  B.     Compare  p.  162  D.  '  P.  167  A. 

*  See  p.  168  C.     Compare  p.  9,  note  5. 

*  Pp.  163  C  to  165  C. 


154  Some  Account  of  the 

vailed  among  them  even  on  the  nature  of  virtue  and  vice, 
some  holding  that  to  be  honourable  which  others  deemed 
infamous — whereas  the  nature  of  virtue  must  be  always  the 
same ; — observing  all  these  things,  and  having  been  initiated 
into  their  mysteries,  and  ascertained  the  flagitious  character 
of  their  rites,  he  considered  with  himself  in  what  manner  he 
could  arrive  at  the  truth.  While  he  was  thus  considering,  he 
met  with  certain  barbarous  writings,  ancient  in  comparison 
with  the  dogmas  of  the  Greeks ;  divine  in  comparison  with 
their  error.  To  these  he  gave  his  assent,  moved  by  the 
unpretending  character  of  the  diction ;  the  simplicity  of  the 
speakers ;  the  mode  in  which  the  work  of  creation  was  rendered 
easy  of  comprehension ;  the  prediction  of  future  events ;  the 
excellence  of  the  precepts ;  and  the  doctrine  of  the  subjection 
of  the  universe  to  one  God." 

As  Tatian  exposes  at  some  length  what  he  deems  the 
abominations  of  the  theatrical  exhibitions,  and  of  the  public 
games,  we  may  conclude  that  he  did  not  deem  it  consistent 
with  the  profession  of  Christianity  to  attend  thera.^ 

Athenagoras,  having  recited  some  of  the  moral  precepts 
delivered  by  our  Saviour,  in  order  to  explain  to  the  emperors 
the  real  character  of  Christianity,  asks,^  "  Who  among  those, 
who  analyze  syllogisms,  and  resolve  ambiguities,  and  explain 
etymologies,  and  define  homonymes  and  synonymes,  and  cate- 
gories, and  axioms,  and  the  subject  and  the  predicate,  and 
profess  that  by  such  instructions  they  can  make  their  hearers 
happy — who  among  them  are  so  purified  in  their  souls  as, 
instead  of  hating,  to  love  their  enemies  ;  as,  instead  of  doing 
that  which  is  even  deemed  a  mark  of  the  greatest  moderation 
— of  retorting  evil  language — to  bless  their  calumniators,  and 
even  to  pray  for  those  who  are  laying  snares  against  their  Hfe  ? 
The  heathen  teachers  of  knowledge,  on  the  contrary,  are  ever 
»  Pp.  l6o  D  to  162  B.  "^  Legatio,  p.  II  C. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  155 

forming  some  forbidden  scheme  against  their  adversaries,  and 
desiring  to  do  them  injury;  making  their  profession  a  mere 
flourish  of  words,  and  not  a  rule  of  practice.^  But  among  us 
you  may  find  illiterate  persons,  and  artisans,  and  old  women, 
who,  if  they  cannot  show  the  benefits  resulting  from  their  pro- 
fession by  their  words,  show  it  by  practice.  For  they  do  not 
commit  words  to  memory,  but  show  forth  good  deeds ; — when 
struck,  they  strike  not  again — when  robbed,  they  have  not  re- 
course to  the  law — they  give  to  those  who  ask — and  love  their 
neighbours  as  themselves.  Is  it  likely  that  we  should  thus 
purify  ourselves,  unless  we  believed  that  God  presided  over 
the  human  race  ?  No  one  can  say  so.  But  because  we  are 
persuaded  that  we  shall  render  an  account  of  our  present  life 
to  the  God  Who  made  both  us  and  the  world,  we  choose  the 
moderate  and  benevolent,  and  (in  human  estimation)  despised 
course  of  life ;  thinking  that  even  if  we  lose  our  lives,  we 
cannot  suffer  any  evil  here,  to  be  compared  with  the  reward 
which  we  shall  receive  hereafter  from  the  great  Judge,  on  ac- 
count of  our  gentle  and  benevolent  and  temperate  behaviour."  2 
In  a  subsequent  passage,^  Athenagoras  states  that,  agreeably 
to  the  injunctions  of  their  blessed  Master,  Christians  are  pure, 
not  only  in  their  actions  and  their  words,  but  even  in  their 
thoughts ;  knowing  that  the  eye  of  God  is  ever  over  them,  and 
that  being  Himself  wholly  light,  He  looks  into  the  very  heart. 

He  alleges  as  a  proof  that  the  Christians  were  not  guilty  of 
the  crimes  imputed  to  them,  that  no  one  of  their  slaves,  who 

^  Ti^vnv  X'oyui,  Koii  oIk  i-TTihuhv  ipyaiy,  ro  'Ttfayi/.a  -^iTToinfiivoi.  So  p.  37  "> 
fli  yap  fttXirri  Xiyuv,  aXX'  It(?i/|£/  xa)  dioatTKaXia  'ipyav,  ra  tif^iTipa,  Not 
by  the  use  of  words,  but  by  the  display  and  practice  of  deeds."  "  Quotus 
enim  quisque  Philosophorum  invenitur,  qui  sit  ita  moratus,  ita  animo  ac 
vita  constitutus,  ut  ratio  postulat  ?  qui  disciplinam  suam,  non  ostentationem 
scientise,  sed  legem  vitse  putet  ?  qui  obtemperet  ipse  sibi,  ac  decretis  suis 
pareat?"     Cicero,  Tusc.  ii.  c.  4  or  12. 

-  The  same  argument  is  again  urged,  p.  35  C. 

^  Pp-  35  C.  36  A. 


156  Some  Account  of  the 

must  have  been  privy  to  the  fact,  had  ever  been  brought 
forward  to  give  evidence  against  them,  or  had  even  laid  such 
crimes  falsely  to  their  charge.^  "  For  how,"  he  says,  "  can 
any  one  accuse  of  homicide,  or  of  eating  human  flesh,  those 
who  cannot  bear  to  be  present  even  at  the  execution  of  a 
person  justly  condemned  ?  While  others  rush  with  eagerness 
to  behold  the  combats  of  the  gladiators,  and  the  conflicts  with 
wild  beasts,  we  renounce  such  sights,  thinking  that  there  is  little 
difference  between  witnessing  and  committing  homicide.  Can 
we  then  commit  murder,  who  will  not  even  look  upon  it,  lest 
we  should  bring  upon  ourselves  guilt  and  pollution  ?  "  Athena- 
goras  then  goes  on  to  say  that  the  Christians  would  neither 
use  medicines  in  order  to  procure  abortions,  nor  expose  their 
offspring. 

Having  stated  that  the  purity  of  the  Christians  extended  not 
only  to  their  actions,  but  also  to  their  desires  and  thoughts,^ 
he  adds  that  they  regarded  the  younger  members  of  the 
community  as  their  children ;  those  of  their  own  age  as 
brothers  and  sisters ;  those  advanced  in  years  as  their  parents. 
•'  Having  then,"  he  proceeds,  "  the  hope  of  eternal  life,  we 
despise  the  things  of  this  life,  and  all  in  which  the  soul  takes 
pleasure.  Each  of  us  confines  himself  to  his  own  wife;  and 
marries  not  to  satisfy  desire,  but  to  beget  children.  Many 
among  us,  both  men  and  women,  have  grown  old  in  a  state  of 
celibacy,  through  the  hope  that  they  shall  thereby  be  more 
closely  united  to  God.  But  if  the  condition  of  virgins  and 
eunuchs  is  more  acceptable  to  God,  and  even  thoughts  and 
desires  exclude  us  from  His  presence,  surely  we  shall  renounce 
the  act  when  we  shun  the  very  wish.  For  our  profession  con- 
sists not  in  well-composed  sentences,  but  in  practice.  Either 
we  remain  as  we  are  born,  or  we  contract  one  marriage ;  for  a 
second  marriage  is  a  decorous  adultery.  '  For  whoever,'  He 
(Christ)  says,  '  puts  away  his  wife,  and  marries  another, 
P.  38  13.  P.  36  A. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr.  157 

commits  adultery ; '  neither  allowing  us  to  put  away  our 
wives,  nor  to  marry  again.  For  he  who  cuts  himself  off 
from  his  first  wife,  even  though  she  be  dead,  is  a  concealed 
adulterer;  transgressing  the  hand  (work)  of  God  in  the 
creation  (for  God  in  the  beginning  created  one  man  and 
one  woman),  and  dissolving  the  union  of  the  flesh."  M. 
Barbeyraci  has  animadverted,  and  not  without  reason,  upon 
the  preference  ascribed  to  a  life  of  celibacy  in  the  above 
passage ;  upon  the  restriction  of  the  use  of  marriage  to  the 
sole  object  of  having  children ;  and  upon  the  condemnation 
pronounced  against  second  marriages.  Nothing  indeed  can 
be  more  forced  than  the  application  of  the  texts  of  Scripture, 
or  more  inconclusive  than  the  reasoning. 

Theophilus  pursues  the  same  course  of  argument  as  Athena- 
goras  in  defending  the  Christians  against  the  calumnious 
accusations  of  their  adversaries.  Having  recited  the  precepts 
of  the  gospel  respecting  purity  of  thought  and  wish,  universal 
benevolence,  humility,  obedience  to  magistrates,  he  asks,^ 
"  Can  they  who  learn  such  precepts  live  like  brute  beasts,  or 
indulge  in  unnatural  lusts,  or  eat  human  flesh  ?  they  who  are 
not  permitted  even  to  behold  the  combats  of  the  gladiators, 
lest  they  should  become,  as  it  were,  accessaries  to  murder; 
they  who  are  not  permitted  to  frequent  the  theatres,  lest  their 
eyes  and  ears  should  be  polluted  by  the  horrible  and  vicious 
stories  which  form  the  subjects  of  the  dramatic  exhibitions? 
Far  be  the  thought  of  doing  such  acts  from  Christians,  who 
are  chaste,  temperate,  who  confine  themselves  to  one  wife — 
among  whom  purity  is  cultivated,  injustice  and  sin  are  extir- 
pated, justice  and  law  are  observed,  piety  is  practised,  God  is 
confessed,  truth  sits  in  judgment,  grace  and  peace  act  as 
guardians  and  protectors,  the  Holy  Word  is  the  guide.  Wisdom 
the  teacher,  the  true  life  the  director,  God  the  king."^ 

^  Traiti  de  la  Morale  des  Ph'es,  c.  4,  sect.  vi.  ^  L.  iii.  p.  126  D. 

^  I  entertain  doubts  about  the  words  Xan  (ifafiivu  in  the  text ;  if  they  are 


158  Some  Account  of  the 

Theophilus  does  not  appear  to  have  entertained  the  exag- 
gerated notion  of  the  merit  of  celibacy  which  we  have 
remarked  in  Athenagoras.  Speaking  of  what  he  terms  the 
prophecy  of  Adam,^  in  Gen.  ii.,  "Therefore  shall  a  man 
leave  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave  unto  his  wife ; 
and  they  shall  be  one  flesh,"  he  says  that  it  was  accomplished 
in  the  conduct  of  the  Christians.  "  For  who,"  he  asks,  "  being 
lawfully  married,  does  not  (comparatively)  despise  his  father, 
and  mother,  and  kindred,  and  relations — cleaving  and  united 
to  his  wife,  and  concentrating  his  affections  in  her?  so  that 
many  have  not  refused  to  encounter  death  for  the  sake  of 
their  wives."  Theophilus  describes  himself  as  originally  a 
Gentile,  and  converted  to  Christianity  by  reading  the  sacred 
writings  of  the  prophets,  and  observing  how  events  corre- 
sponded to  their  predictions.^ 

P.  90.  On  the  subject  of  the  subsistence  of  miraculous 
powers  in  the  Church,  most  of  my  readers  will  remember  the 
remarks  of  Gibbon  ^  on  the  reply  made  by  Theophilus  when 
challenged  by  Autolycus  to  point  out  a  single  person  who  had 
been  raised  from  the  dead.  Theophilus  answers  that  there  is 
no  great  merit  in  believing  what  we  see ;  that  Autolycus,  who 
believed  that  Hercules  who  was  burned,  and  .^sculapius  who 
was  killed  by  a  thunderbolt,  still  lived,  was  not  very  consistent 
in  doubting  the  assertions  of  God  Himself  in  Scripture  re- 
specting the  resurrection  of  the  dead;  that  perhaps,  if  his 
demand  was  satisfied,  he  would  still  remain  incredulous ;  that 
the   natural  world   supplies   many  analogies  from  which   we 

not  an  interpolation,  ^w?i  must  refer  to  the  title  which  our  Saviour  gives 
Himself,  John  xi.  25,  xiv.  6. 
^  L.  ii.  p.  104  C. 

2  L.  i.  p.  78  D  ;  1.  ii.  p.  88  A. 

3  Chap.  XV.  p.  476,  quarto  ed.  Autolycus  does  not  promise,  on  the 
production  of  a  person  so  raised,  to  embrace  Christianity,  but  to  believe 
in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.     L.  ii.  p.  77  C. 


Writings  of  J tistin  Martyr.  159 

may  infer  that  the  dead  will  rise.  But  Theophilus  certainly 
does  not  accept  the  challenge  of  Autolycus ;  he  does  not  even 
say  that  he  himself  knew  an  instance  in  which  a  dead  man 
had  been  raised.  Having  elsewhere^  stated  my  opinion 
respecting  the  date  of  the  cessation  of  miraculous  powers 
in  the  Church,  I  shall  now  say  nothing  further  on  the 
subject. 

P.  92.  Theophilus  opposes  "holy  churches"  to  "heresies." 
L,  ii.  p.  94  A. 

P.  96.  Justin  speaks  of  Damascus  and  Rama  as  situated 
in  Arabia.     Dial.  pp.  305  A,  304  D. 

P.  97.  Tatian  speaks  ^  as  if  Moses  was  considered  by  some 
to  be  contemporary  with  Inachus ;  and  says,  that  in  that  case 
he  lived  400  years  before  the  Trojan  war.  The  Sibyl  is  also 
mentioned  as  more  ancient  than  Homer.^ 

The  verses  of  the  Sibyl  are  once  quoted  by  Athenagoras,* 
who  says  that  Plato  had  mentioned  her.  Theophilus  gives 
long  extracts  from  the  verses  of  the  Sibyl,^  and  names  her 
together  with  the  prophets.^ 

According  to  Theophilus,  Moses  lived  900  or  1000  years 
before  the  Trojan  war,'^     He  says^  also   that,  according   to 

1  In  my  work  On  Tertullian,  p.  lOO, 

2  P.  172  C.  »  P.  173  C. 

*  Legatio,  p.  33  D.     See  the  Hortatory  Address  to  the  Greeks,  p.  16  D. 

B  L.  ii.  pp.  8r  B,  88  K,  107  C,  112  A. 

^  roUvt  s/jSuXXa  x-oCi  01  Xoi-tto)  '7rjio<(iriToi.i,  "This  Sibyl  and  the  remaining 
prophets,"  p.  116  A. 

'  L.  iii.  p.  131  C. 

8  L.  ii.  p.  106  D.  In  1.  iii.  p.  129  B,  he  assigns  the  reason  why  Noah 
was  so  called,  a;  NiJs,  KarwyyiXXuv  ro7i  ron  att^u-jroii  fiiXXin  x,a,Ta,KXuS(/.i^ 
i(rt<r^ai,    ^p/>((priTiuiriv   ai/roTs   Xiyaiv,    OiZri,    KciXlT  vfiia;    0   ©saj    £/j  fiiTavoiuvy  iic 


i6o  So77ie  Account  of  the 

some,  Deucalion  was  the  same  as  Noah.  We  have  seen  that 
he  speaks  of  the  prophecy  of  Adam. ^ 

The  author  of  the  Hortatory  Address  to  the  Greeks  speaks 
of    Moses   as   the   first    prophet   and    legislator :  ^   "Ap^o/.iat 

TOLVVV     dlTO     TOV     TTpuiTOV     Trap       rjfJUV     7rpO(ji7]TOV     re     KOL     VOfloO^TOV 

Mojcrecos. 

P.  io8.  We  find  in  Athenagoras  a  passage^  which 
appears  to  be  meant  for  a  quotation  from  the  New  Testa- 
ment, but  is  not  found  in  our  present  books.  Lardner  *  says 
that  "there  is  no  necessity  of  supposing  that  Athenagoras 
ascribes  them  (the  words)  to  Christ,   or  that  he  took  them 

eiKilas  AtvKaXluv  ixXrih.  "  Even  as  Noah  proclaimed  to  men  that  the 
flood  would  shortly  come,  and  prophesying  to  them  saying,  '  Come  hither, 
God  calls  you  to  repentance'  ;  wherefore  he  was  also  called  Deucalion." 
He  had  previously  said,  v-jro  rov  NjDs  'E/J^aiVr/,  o;  'inpfjt.tiviiira.i  TJ5  'EXXaSi 
yXuffffi^  dva-jravins,  "  By  the  Hebrew  name  Noah,  which  is  interpreted  in 
the  Greek  tongue  scva^rautris,  'rest.'"  In  1.  ii.  p.  io8  C,  we  find  the 
following  derivation  of  the  word  'lipova-aXYif^:  xmrk  Si  riv  aurov  xaifli 
iyiviro  (haffiXiUi  2ixaios,  ovi>fjt,ccri  'M.iX^Krihi^,  iv  ToXii  SxXhfit.,  t?  vu»  'lipoffiy.vfjia, 
(f.  lifouffaXYi//,.')  ovros  hpiv;  iyivtm  'Xfuroi  •yeuvro))!  hpiuv  rou  &iov  rod  i^f/itmu' 
tt'jro  TOVTOV  »i  «roX/;  eovofjbairSYi  lipoviraXn/J;  n  Tpoiifi>i//,i>iyi  lipi)iToXv//,a.  "  But 
at  that  time  there  was  a  righteous  king  named  Melchisedech,  in  the 
city  of  Salem,  which  is  now  Jerusalem.  He  was  made  the  first  of  all 
priests  {hfiv;)  by  God  the  Most  High.  Wherefore  the  city  was  called 
Jerusalem. " 

1  P.  217.  a  P.  9. 

^  fuXiv  'hf^Tv  Xiyovro;  tov  X'oyou,  idv  rt;  iid  roZro  in  oiu-'tpou  xaTa(piXwii  on 
itoKflv  atiToi'  xai  ii'i^tpovTOS,  oura;  ovv  uxpifiu/rao'^ui  to  (plXrifia,  fidXXov  Ss  to 
-rpeirxuvri/ioi,  ou'    u;,  u   •xov  fiixpov  rJj  oiccvoia    'rapoc^oXcdhin,  'i^a  ity.as  tjj;  aiaviou 

ri6ivTos  t,ooris.  Legatio,  p.  36  C.  The  Benedictine  editors  refer  to  Clemens 
Alexandrinus.     Pad.  1.  iii.  p.  301,  ed.  Potter. 

*  Credibility,  c.  18,  sect.  xx.  Lardner  refers  to  Jones  On  the  Canon, 
vol.  i.  p.  551.  Le  Nourry  doubts  whether  Athenagoras  quoted  the 
Nazarene  Gospel,  or  gave  the  sense  instead  of  the  precise  words  of 
Scripture,  p.  487.  Tatian  speaks  of  «/'  hioTara.!  tpfx,^viicti,  p.  151  C;  and 
of  himself  as  hioripas  nvo;  iK(puvntnu$  Xoytu  xctTa^puf/Avov,  p.   152  A. 


Writings  of  Justin  Martyr,  i6i 

out  of  any  copies  of  our  Gospels,  or  from  any  Apocryphal 
Gospel.  They  may  be  as  well  cited  from  some  Christian 
writer,  whom  Athenagoras  thought  to  have  expressed  himself 
upon  this  subject  agreeably  to  the  strict  doctrine  of  Christ 
delivered  in  the  Gospels."  I  must  confess  that  I  am  not 
satisfied  with  this  solution, — though  I  cannot  suggest  a 
better. 


THE  FIRST  APOLOGY 

OF  ST.  JUSTIN 

FOR  THE 

CHRISTIANS 

TO 

ANTONINUS  PIUS 


THE 

FIRST    APOLOGY    OF    ST.    JUSTIN 
FOR    THE    CHRISTIANS 

TO 

ANTONINUS    PIUS. 


To  the  Emperor  Titus  ^lius  Adrianus  Antoninus  Pius 
Augustus  Csesar,^  and  to  his  son  Verissimus  the  philosopher, 
and  to  Lucius  the  philosopher,  the  natural  son  of  Caesar,  but 
the  adopted  of  Pius,  the  lover  of  learning ;  and  to  the  sacred 
senate,  and  to  all  the  people  of  Rome,  in  the  behalf  of  men  of 
all  ranks  and  nations  unjustly  loaded  with  public  odium  and 
oppression,  I,^  Justin,  the  son  of  Priscus,  and  grandson  of 

^  From  this  liberal  inscription  of  titles,  you  may  see  that  St.  Justin 
was  not  of  the  same  spirit  with  our  Quakers  in  point  of  salutation ;  for 
the  understanding  of  which  inscription  you  are  to  take  notice  that  the  first 
named  in  it  is  the  Emperor  Antoninus  Pius,  the  adoptive  son  of  Adrian ; 
the  second,  called  Verissimus,  is  Marcus  Antoninus  the  philosopher, 
the  adoptive  son  of  Antoninus  Pius ;  the  third  is  Lucius  Verus,  the  son 
of  ^lius  Verus,  who  had  been  Csesar,  and  was  the  adoptive  son  of 
Antoninus  Pius.  The  titles  here  bestowed  by  the  martyr  were  the  most 
beloved  ones ;  for  the  family  of  the  Antonines  from  Adrian  to  Commodus 
afiected  the  title  of  philosophers  as  much  as  that  of  fathers  of  their 
country,  etc. 

"^  'Uv/r^Tvo;  Upia-Kov  rod  Bax^iiou,  etc.  Jerome  in  his  catalogue  makes 
Priscus  Bacchiiis  the  father  of  Justin  ;  and  herein  is  followed  by  Caristo- 


(i)       The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

Bacchius,  natives  of  Flavia  Neapolis  ^  of  Palestine,  Syria,  I,  who 
am  one  of  this  suffering  multitude,  humbly  oifer  this  Apology.^ 

II.  It  is  the  voice  of  reason,  and  ever  attended  to  by  men 
truly  pious  and  worthy  the  name  of  philosopher,  that  truth 
alone  is  the  thing  to  be  had  in  the  highest  honour,  and  to 
hold  the  first  place  in  our  affections,  and  the  ancients  to  be 
followed  not  one  step  further  than  they  are  followers  of  truth. 
The  same  right  reason  dictates  also  that  we  are  not  only  to 
strike  in  with  any  sect  of  men,  unjust  either  in  practice  or 
principle,  but,  moreover,  that  a  lover  of  the  truth  must  by  all 
means,  and  before  life  itself,  and  in  defiance  of  all  the  menaces 
of  death,  choose  to  square  his  words  and  actions  by  the  rules 
of  justice  whatever  it  cost  him.  And  whereas  you  wear  the 
glorious  titles  of  pious  and  philosophers,  and  guardians  of 
justice  and  lovers  of  learning,  though  these,  I  say,  are  the 
darling  characters  you  afi"ect  to  be  dislinguished  by  everywhere, 

phorson,  and  by  all  the  versions  of  Justin,  till  that  corrected  by  the  learned 
Dr.  Grabe  ;  but  it  is  evident  from  the  construction  of  the  words  that 
Priscus  was  the  father,  and  Bacchius  the  grandfather ;  for  tZv  iri 
ixaatjias  being  of  the  plural  number  cannot  agree  with  UpltrKou  tuv 
Ban^^^iiou  of  the  singular,  if  it  was  but  one  person.  The  great  Du  Pin 
has  taken  up  with  this  common  mistake,  and  the  ingenious  author  of  the 
notes  upon  him  has  overlooked  it  also,  which  I  the  rather  wonder  at, 
because  the  excellent  Dr.  Cave,  whom  he  is  pleased  sometimes  to  animad- 
vert upon,  would  have  set  him  to  rights  in  this  matter  in  his  most  accurate 
life  of  this  martyr. —  Vtd.  torn.  i.  Spicileg.  Pair.  Sac.  xi.  p.  134 ;  and  Vales., 
Notes  upon  Etiseb.  p.  66. 

'  This  Flavia  Neapolis  anciently  went  by  the  name  of  Sichem,  a  noted 
city  of  Palestine  in  tlie  province  of  Samaria,  and  from  a  colony  sent  thither 
by  Flavius  Vespasian  called  ¥\ziVis..—  Vid.  Not.  Vales,  ad  Eiiseb.  lib.  iv. 
chap.  xii. 

2''EvTtu|/v.  Valesius  in  his  notes  upon  this  word  in  Eusebius,  p.  66, 
says  that  6VTyy;(;av£iv  is  to  go  and  supplicate  the  Emperor  either  by  a 
petition  in  writing  or  by  word  of  mouth,  and  so  7-9)»  vpo(r(pui)inviv  xai  ivriv^iv 
-Tmiouixa,!  are  both  included  in  this  version,  whether  it  was  delivered  in 
writing  or  by  word  of  mouth  according  to  Perionius. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.       (3) 

yet  whether  you  make  them  good  or  no  shall  be  seen  by  the 
following  discourse  ;  for  we  come  not  here  with  a  design  to 
flatter  or  ingratiate  by  the  power  of  fine  words,  but  we  come 
in  plain  terms  to  demand  judgment  according  to  the  strictest 
and  exactest  rules  of  justice,  that  neither  prejudice  nor  the 
vanity  ot  getting  into  the  good  graces  of  superstitious  men, 
nor  blind  passion,  or  a  scandalous  report  which  has  so  long 
prepossessed  you,  might  any  longer  prevail  with  you  to  pass 
sentence  against  yourselves  by  condemning  the  innocent ;  for 
it  is  a  maxim  among  us  Christians  that  we  cannot  possibly 
suffer  any  real  hurt,  if  we  cannot  be  convicted  of  doing  any 
real  evil :  "  You  may  kill  indeed,  but  you  cannot  hurt  us."^ 

III.  But  that  you  may  not  look  upon  this  as  a  senseless 
bravado,  or  bold  flourish  only,  we  pray  the  charge  against 
Christians  may  be  examined  into,  and  if  upon  examination 
the  allegations  prove  true,  let  them  be  punished  accordingly, 
or  rather  do  you  who  are  the  judges  award  the  punishment, 
and  not  leave  it  to  the  discretion  of  the  mob.^  But  if  nothing 
criminal  can  be  made  out  against  us,  you  cannot  surely  judge 
it  reasonable  to  injure  a  harmless  people  barely  upon  an  evil 
report ;  though,  let  me  tell  you,  while  thus  you  consult  not 
your  judgment  but  your  passion  in  the  distributions  of  jus- 
tice, you  will  pull  down  the  mischief  upon  yourselves  which 
you  are  heaping  upon  us.     Every  man  of  sense  must  own  it 

^  'Tfii7i  V  i^roKT'.Tvai  fjtXv  'Svvatrh,  (Lxd-^ai  V  oil.  In  this  sentence  I  doubt 
not  but  our  Martyr  had  reference  to  that  of  Plato,  where  we  have  the 
same  sense  in  almost  the  same  words,  and  in  an  Apology.  For  thus 
Socrates  tells  the  Athenians :  «y  ykf  "(tti  lav  i/ii  ccxoktsiviti  Toiourtii 
olov  iy&i  X'tyu,  oiix  i/A  fis'i^H)  /3Xa\/'£<r£  ^  vfioai  aurou.  ifil  yap  aySjv  fixd'^pii 
ovri  MsA/Toj  ouTi  "Avutos,  etc. — Plato's  Apology  of  Socrates,  Camb.  edit, 
p.  26. 

^  MaXX^v  1\  xoxd^iiv,  I  have  followed  Dr.  Grabe's  conjecture  in  the 
version  of  these  words.  But  Dr.  Cave  translates  them  thus  :  "  Nay,  let 
them  be  more  severely  punished  than  other  men." — Frim.  Christianity, 
p.  83. 


(4)       The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

the  fairest  and  most  equitable  way  of  proceeding  in  courts  of 
judicature  for  the  people  to  deliver  in  a  just  unexceptionable 
declaration  of  their  words  and  actions,  and  then  for  the 
magistrates  to  proceed  to  sentence,  not  as  the  lust  of  tyranny 
and  oppression  pushes  on,  but  as  piety  and  true  wisdom  steer 
their  judgment.  By  this  expedient  happy  will  the  prince  and 
happy  will  the  people  be  who  are  in  such  a  case  ;  for  it  is  a 
saying  of  one  of  the  ancients,  "  That  till  magistrates  and 
people  both  thus  philosophise,  the  body  politic  will  never  be 
well."  1  Accordingly,  therefore,  it  shall  be  my  business,  in  the 
first  place,  to  lay  before  the  public  a  faithful  memorial  of  our 
life  and  doctrine,  that  we  may  not  thank  ourselves  for  our 
sufferings,  which  for  want  of  due  information  you  may  inflict 
upon  us ;  but  then  remember,  it  is  your  parts  and  duties,  ac- 
cording to  the  aforesaid  rule  of  reason,  to  see  that  when  you 
have  heard  the  cause  you  are  found  to  judge  righteous  judg- 
ment ;  for,  believe  me,  you  will  be  without  excuse  before  God 
for  the  time  to  come,  if  after  you  understand  the  Christian 
cause,  you  refuse  a  Christian  justice;  the  bare  application  of 
a  name  without  any  fact  falling  under  that  name  is  looked 
upon  as  neither  good  nor  evil ;  and  as  for  our  name,  which  is 
tantamount  to  a  crime  against  a  Christian,  if  we  are  tried  upon 
that  article,  we  must  certainly  be  acquitted  as  very  good  men ; 
but  as  we  should  deem  it  unreasonable  when  convicted  of  real 
crimes  to  plead  a  bare  name  only  in  arrest  of  judgment,  so, 
on  the  other  side,  if  both  with  respect  to  our  name  and  the 
nature  of  our  polity  we  are  found  altogether  innocent,  it  lies 
at  your  door  to  take  care,  lest  by  unjustly  punishing  a  people 
convicted  of  no  evil  you  yourselves  deservedly  smart  for  such 
injustice.  Praise  and  punishment,  then,  cannot  with  reason  be 
charged  upon  a  mere  name,  unless  there  be  actions  either  good 
or  bad  to  justify  the  charge ;  but  it  is  very  notorious  that  when 

'  Platonis,  lib.  v.,  de  Repub,  And  it  being  a  saying  also  familiarly  in 
the  mouths  of  these  emperors,  it  is  the  more  pertinently  made  use  of  by 
the  apologist. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.       (5) 

any  of  your  own  religion  are  brought  to  trial,  you  never  punish - 
before  you  convict  them ;  but  when  a  Christian  is  indicted, 
you  snatch  at  the  shadow  of  his  name  for  a  substantial  crime ;  ^ 
whereas  would  you  but  give  yourselves  leave  to  consider  that 
name,  you  would  find  it  more  becoming  to  animadvert  upon 
the  accusers  than  the  accused ;  for  we  are  indicted  by  the 
name  of  Christians,  but  now  ^(prja-To^  is  a  word  for  kind  or 
good ;  and  such  a  word  surely  cannot  be  a  just  foundation  of 
hatred. 2  Again,  if  any  of  the  accused  retract  the  name  of 
Christian,  you  take  him  presently  at  his  word,  and  acquit  him 
as  having  nothing  more  criminal  to  charge  against  him  ;  but 
he  who  has  the  courage  to  stick  to  the  profession  of  his  name 
is  certain  to  suffer  for  so  doing,  when  the  life  of  the  professor 
and  the  non-professor  both  ought  to  be  the  subject  of  your 
inquiry,  that  the  merits  of  both  might  be  manifested  by  their 
actions, 

IV.  But  as  some  disciples  ^  have  so  learned  their  Master 

1  This  is  the  general  complaint  which  runs  through  all  the  ancient 
Apologies,  that  they  were  accused,  condemned,  and  executed  merely  for 
the  name  of  Christian ;  and  this  name  in  truth  was  their  boast,  their 
ornament  of  grace,  the  chain  about  their  neck  in  which  they  gloried  above 
all  the  titles  here  below ;  and  therefore  when  the  champion  Attalus  was 
led  about  the  amphitheatre  in  scorn,  he  had  a  table  before  him  with  this 
inscription:  "This  is  Attalus  the  Christian,"  Euseb.  hist.  lib.  v.  p.  162. 
And  when  Christianity  had  well-nigh  subdued  the  world,  Julian  the  apostate 
set  himself  to  banish  this  name  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  always  in 
derision  called  the  Christians  Galileans  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  made  a  law 
that  they  should  only  be  called  by  that  name,  Naz.  Inved.  injtilian.  i.  p.  81. 

2  The  ignorance  and  malice  of  persecuting  upon  the  account  of  this 
name  you  will  find  in  TerhilUan,  chap.  iii.  ;  Ladan.  lib.  iv.  chap.  vii. 
Our  Saviour  is  called  Chrestos  by  Suetonius,  in  vitd  Claudii ;  but  Tacitus, 
who  lived  in  the  same  age  with  him,  is  right  in  the  name  both  of  Christ 
and  Christians.  "  Quos  vulgo  Christianos  appellabat,"  and  then  adds, 
"  Auctor  nominis  ejus  Christus." — Tacit.  Annal.  lib.  xv. 

2  The  lives  of  the  primitive  professors  were  one  of  the  greatest  and  most 
sensible  arguments  that  by  degrees  subdued  the  heathen  world  to  Christianity. 
This  was  the  motive  that  worked  upon  our  Justin.     He  saw  prodigious 


(6)       The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

Christ  as  to  witness  a  good  confession,  and  when  put  to  the 
question  have,  by  their  Christian  bravery,  so  wrought  upon 
their  enemies  as  to  win  them  over,  if  not  to  embrace  the  faith, 
yet  at  least  to  admire  it,  so,  on  the  contrary,  others  by  not 
living  up  to  their  holy  profession  have  given  occasion  to  the 
dissolute  part  of  mankind  to  blaspheme  Christianity  in  general 
for  their  sakes.  But  neither  is  this  right,  for  many  among  you 
put  on  the  name  and  habit  of  a  philosopher  whose  lives  are 
not  of  a  piece  with  their  dress  or  suitable  to  their  profession, 
and  you  know  very  well  that  there  have  been  those  who  have 
held  and  propagated  opinions  contrary  to  the  ancients,  and 
yet  have  all  been  clothed  alike  with  the  name  of  philosopher ; 
nay,  there  have  been  professors  of  atheism,  and  your  poets 
have  very  liberally  indulged  their  muse  upon  the  uncleanness 
of  Jove  and  his  family ;  and  the  succeeding  wits  who  tread  in 
their  steps,  and  espouse  the  same  opinions,  are  so  far  from 
being  taken  up  and  prosecuted,  that  you  assign  them  public 
pensions  and  honours  for  thus  sweetly  exposing  your  gods. 

V.  Why  then  may  not  we  Christians  meet  with  a  little  of 
this  good  usage,  we  who  will  give  security  not  to  do  any  harm, 
or  to  harbour  any  opinions  that  have  a  real  tendency  to 
atheism  ?  But  you  hold  not  the  scales  of  justice  even ;  for, 
instigated  by  headstrong  passions,  and  driven  on  also  by  the 
invisible  whips  of  evil  demons,  you  take  great  care  we  shall 
suffer,  though  you  care  not  for  what ;  for  ^  verily  I  must  tell 

sufferings  and  prodigious  patience  ;  he  saw  that  their  principles  were  above 
the  standard  of  the  best  philosophy,  and  what  they  taught  they  lived,  and 
consequently  that  such  good  people  must  have  good  reason  for  what  they 
did  and  suffered  so  extraordinarily.  "I  thought  with  myself,"  saith  he, 
"that  it  was  not  possible  for  such  persons  to  wallow  in  vice  and  sensuality, 
it  being  the  interest  of  the  wicked  and  voluptuous  to  avoid  death,  to  dis- 
semble with  princes  and  magistrates,  and  to  do  anything  to  save  their 
skins."  And  this,  from  a  Platonic,  brought  him  over  to  be  a  Christian. 
— Apol.  i. ,  according  to  the  Cologne  ed.  p.  50. 

'  This  he  also  repeats  in  his  Q\\i&\  Apology ;  and  how  current  this  opinion 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.       (7) 

you  that  heretofore  these  impure  spirits,  under  various  appari- 
tions, went  into  the  daughters  of  men  and  defiled  boys,  and 
dressed  up  such  scenes  of  horror  that  such  as  entered  not  into 
the  reasons  of  things,  but  judged  by  appearance  only,  stood 
aghast  at  the  spectres ;  and,  being  shrunk  up  with  fear  and 
amazement,  and  never  imagining  them  to  be  devils,  called 
them  gods,  and  invoked  them  by  such  titles  as  every  devil  was 
pleased  to  nickname  himself  by.  When  Socrates,  therefore, 
by  dint  of  true  reason,  diHgently  applied  himself  to  bring  these 
hidden  works  of  darkness  to  light,  and  to  rescue  mankind  from 
the  impositions  of  devils,  then  these  very  devils  struck  in  with 
men  of  the  same  black  spirit  and  delight  in  mischief,  to  get 
Socrates  taken  off  for  an  ungodly  wicked  fellow  and  an  intro- 
ducer of  new  demons.'^  The  same  train  have  they  laid  against 
us,  and  are  working  our  ruin  with  all  their  might.  For  not  only 
Socrates  employed  his  share  of  reason  among  the  Greeks  to 
argue  them  out  of  these  impostures,  but  even  the  very  Logos, 
or  Reason  itself,  took  upon  Him  the  form  and  nature  of  a 
man  to  destroy  the  same  kingdom  of  darkness  among  the 
barbarians  ;  upon  Whose  word  it  is  that  we  aver  these  demons 
to  be  not  only  not  good,  but  evil  and  abominable  spirits, 
whose   actions    men   of    any   affection   for   virtue   would    be 

was  before  and  after  the  time  of  Justin  you  may  see  in  the  Notes  ad 
Spicileg.  Pair.  Scec.  i.  p.  369.  They  concluded  these  evil  spirits  to  have 
a  finer  sort  of  body,  which  was  refreshed  from  the  nidours  and  streams  of 
the  sacrifices  ;  and  from  the  amazing  power  they  exercised  upon  mankind, 
together  with  a  mistaken  passage  in  Scripture,  as  I  have  shown  in  my 
Notes  upon  Tertidlian,  chap,  xxii.,  arose  this  opinisn. 

^  That  when  Socrates  was  setting  up  the  worship  of  one  God  at  Athens, 
one  article  of  Melitus  against  him  was,  that  he  was  'Ahos,  an  atheist,  and 
an  introducer  of  strange  gods,  see  the  forementioned  Apol.  of  Plato,  p.  18  ; 
and  in  what  sense  Socrates  and  other  virtuous  philosophers  are  said  to  have 
been  partakers  of  the  Divine  Logos,  I  will  show  hereafter.  I  keep  to  the 
term  Logos  in  the  English,  because  I  think  it  less  ambiguous,  and  more 
expressive  of  the  personality  of  the  Son  of  God  than  barely  the  Word,  as 
we  render  it  in  St.  John,  and  because  Justin  Martyr  is  thought  to  be  some- 
thing in  particular,  as  you  will  see  anon,  in  the  explanation  of  it. 


(8)       The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

ashamed  to  imitate ;  and  for  this  worshipful  reason  is  it  that 
we  are  branded  with  the  name  of  Atheist.^ 

VI.  And  thus  far  we  frankly  confess  the  charge,  that  with 
respect  to  the  gods  in  worship  among  you  we  are  atheists ; 
but  far  otherwise  in  respect  of  the  most  true  God,  the  Father 
of  righteousness,  purity,  and  every  virtue,  a  God  infinitely 
removed  from  the  least  mixture  or  spot  of  evil :  Him  and  His 
only-begotten  Son  (Who  has  instructed  us  in  what  I  just  now 
mentioned  concerning  these  evil  spirits,  and  hkewise  acquainted 
us  with  another  host  of  good  and  godlike  ministering  spirits), 
both  these,  I  say,  together  with  the  Spirit  Who  spake  by  the 
prophets,  we  worship  and  adore, ^  and  our  way  of  worshipping 
is  in  spirit  and  truth ;  ^  and  as  we  have  been  taught,  so  are  we 

^  Christianity  was  called  "the  atheism,"  and  by  the  Emperor  Julian  is 
seldom  called  by  any  other  name.  And  thus  Lucian  ranks  the  Christians 
with  Atheists  and  Epicureans. — Pseudomant.  p.  828,  torn.  xxi. 

^  Ka/  S/2a|avTa  ■Afji.a.i  toZto,  xai  tuv  aXXiov,  etc.  Bellarmin  Petavius,  and 
other  doctors  of  the  Romish  Church,  have  notoriously  played  the  Jesuit 
upon  this  passage,  and  forced  Justin  to  speak  for  the  worship  of  angels  in 
this  manner  by  the  help  of  a  comma  after  TavTu. :  '*  God  and  His  Son  who 
has  thus  taught  us,  and  the  host  of  good  angels,  and  the  Spirit  who  spake 
by  the  prophets,  we  worship,"  etc.  So  that  here  we  have  the  Third 
Person  in  the  ever-blessed  Trinity  to  be  worshipped  in  the  fourth  place 
after  the  angels.  But  to  see  how  knavishly  they  have  dealt  with  our  author 
in  this  place,  and  for  a  fuller  explication  of  the  words,  I  refer  to  the 
excellent  Bishop  Bull  in  his  Defens.  Fid.  Nic.  p.  70,  whose  sense  I  have 
followed  ;  but  Dr.  Cave  translates  it  thus  :  "  Him  and  His  only-begotten 
Son  (Who  instructed  us  and  the  whole  society  of  good  angels  in  these 
divine  mysteries),"  Primitive  Christianity,  p.  13.  And  for  this  sense  is 
Dr.  Grabe  in  his  Annotations.  It  appears,  indeed,  from  the  apostle's 
caveat  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  that  angel-worship  crept  into  the 
Church  very  early,  but  it  was  always  cried  out  against,  and  at  last  publicly 
condemned  by  the  whole  Laodicean  Council,  Can.  35  ;  and,  besides,  you 
will  quickly  find  Justin,  in  this  very  Apology,  saying  that  "  God  only  is  to 
be  worshipped,"  and  repeating  the  Trinity  of  Persons  as  the  object  of 
worship,  without  any  mention  of  angels. 

^  Koyif  xu.)  aXn^ua,  I  translate  "spirit  and  truth,"  according  to  that  of 
St.  John  in  T^iCft.a.Ti  xai  kxnci'itt,  lo  which  Sylburgh  says  they  allude. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.       (9) 

recady  to  communicate  the  same  freely  to  every  one  that  is 
wiUing  to  learn. 

VII.  But  perhaps  it  will  be  objected  that  some  Christians 
have  been  taken  up  and  convicted  as  evil-doers.  Well,  I  will 
grant  the  objection  and  more ;  not  only  that  some,  but  many, 
and  at  many  times,  have  been  thus  duly  convicted  upon  a  fair 
trial ;  but  then  I  must  tell  you  again  that  you  condemned  not 
the  persons  aforesaid  as  criminals,  but  as  Christians.  More- 
over, we  confess  that  as  all  the  sects  in  general  among  the 
Greeks  went  under  the  common  name  of  philosopher,  though 
extremely  different  in  opinions,  so  truly  among  the  barbarians  ^ 
the  professors  of  this  new  wisdom,  whether  in  reality  or  appear- 
ance only,  go  all  by  the  same  title,  and  are  denominated 
Christians  ;  wherefore  we  pray  that  all  those  who  are  indicted 
by  the  name  of  Christian  may  be  examined  as  to  their  actions, 
and  that  every  person  convicted  may  suffer  as  an  evil-doer,  and 
not  as  a  Christian ;  2  and  if  he  be  found  not  guilty,  that  he  may 
be  discharged  as  a  Christian  who  has  done  nothing  worthy  of 
punishment.  And  as  to  our  false  accusers,  far  be  it  from  us 
to  desire  you  to  punish  them  ^ — their  own  painful  wickedness, 
and  utter  ignorance  of  all  that  is  good  and  amiable,  is  punish- 
ment in  abundance. 

VIII.  I  could  wish  you  would  take  this  also  into  considera- 
tion, that  what  we  say  is  really  for  your  own  good ;  for  it  is  in 
our  power  at  any  time  to  escape  your  torments,  by  denying  the 
faith  when  you  question  us  about  it.    But  we  scorn  to  purchase 

'  "Clemens  Alexandrinus  often  calls  the  Jews  'barbarians;'  and  Epi- 
phanius  calls  Christianity  '  the  barbarism. '  " — Lang. 

2  "And  not  as  a  Christian,"  in  allusion  to  that  of  St.  Peter,  I  Pet. 
iv.  15. 

^  Oi    yaf   T(t~i    xanyopovvra;    xoXd't^nv  i/i.as    i^iaiixafm.      This   relates   tO   the 

rescript  of  Adrian,  wherein  severe   penalties  are   threatened  to  the  false 
accusers  of  Christians. 


(lo)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

life  at  the  expense  of  a  lie ;  ^  for  our  souls  are  winged  with  a 
desire  of  a  life  of  eternal  duration  and  purity,  of  an  immediate 
conversation  with  God  the  Father  and  Maker  of  all  things  ;2 
we  are  in  haste  to  be  confessing  and  finishing  our  faith,  being 
fully  persuaded  that  we  shall  arrive  at  this  beatific  state  if  we 
approve  ourselves  to  God  by  our  works,  and  express  our 
passion  by  our  obedience  for  that  divine  life  which  is  never 
interrupted  by  any  clashing  evil.  But  to  lay  before  you,  in 
short,  what  we  expect,  and  what  we  have  learned  from  Christ, 
and  what  we  teach  the  world,  take  it  as  follows :  Plato  and 
we  are  both  alike  agreed  ^  as  to  a  future  judgment,  but  differ 
about  the  judges — Rhadamanthus  and  Minos  are  his  judges, 
Christ  ours.  And  moreover  we  say  that  the  souls  of  the 
wicked,  being  reunited  to  the  same  bodies,  shall  be  consigned 
over  to  eternal  torments,  and  not,  as  Plato  will  have  it,  to  the 
period  of  a  thousand  years  only.*    But  if  you  will  affirm  this  to 

1  Mental  reservation  was  a  thing  unknown  to  the  primitive  Christians ; 
they  looked  upon  a  lie  as  bad  in  all,  but  monstrous  in  a  Christian — as  being 
a  renunciation  of  that  truth  to  which  they  had  engaged  themselves  in 
baptism,  and  therefore  would  not  lie  to  save  their  lives.  Accordingly 
TertuUian  rejects  the  notion  of  saving  life  by  equivocating  with  the  utmost 
scorn  and  contempt. — Apol.  c.  27. 

2  "  A  Christian,"  says  TertuUian,  "  thanks  his  judges  for  condemning 
him,"  Apol.  c.  46.  "  And  when  Lucius  was  charged  by  Urbicus  for  being 
a  Christian,  because  he  offered  to  speak  for  one  he  thought  had  hard 
measure,  he  immediately  confessed  the  charge,  and  was  forthwith  con- 
demned, and  thanked  his  judge  for  so  diOVi\g."—Just.  Mar.  Apol.  ii.  p.  43. 
"  And  when  Arrius  Antoninus,  Proconsul  of  Asia,  saw  the  Christians 
voluntarily  come  thronging  to  execution,  he  ordered  some  few  only  to  be 
executed,  crying  out  to  the  rest  :  '  O  unhappy  people,  if  you  have  such  a 
mind  to  die,  have  you  not  halters  and  precipices  enough  to  end  your  lives 
with,  but  you  must  come  here  for  execution?'" — Tertul.  ad  S cap.  c.  iv. 
p.  71.  So  certain  their  hopes  and  so  strong  their  passions  for  the  enjoy- 
ments of  the  other  world. 

3  nxaroiv  S/  'ofii,o'tus.—  Vid.  Plat,  in  Gorgia,  torn,  i,  edit.  Serrani,  p.  524, 
and  in  Apol.  Socrat. 

*  OuX'i  x^'^"^'^'^^'^^  -TTjiiolov. —  Vid.  Plat.  Timccum,  p.  42,  tom.  3,  edit. 
Serran.    Ihis  passage  of  Justin  is  express  from  the  elernity  of  hell  tormeuts^ 


The  First  Apology  of  Jtistin  Martyr.     ( 1 1 ) 

be  incredible  or  impossible,  there  is  no  help  but  you  must  fall 
from  error  to  error,  till  the  day  o'"  judgment  convinces  you  we 
are  in  the  right. 

IX.  But  we  cannot  vouchsafe  to  worship  with  numerous 
victims,  and  garlands  of  flowers,  the  work  of  men's  hands,^ — 
what  you  must  help  into  the  temple,  and  being  so  placed 
think  fit  to  dub  them  gods ;  for  we  know  them  to  be  senseless, 
inanimate  idols,  and  in  nothing  resembling  the  form  of  God 
(for  we  cannot  conceive  God  to  be  anywise  like  what  is  drawn 
to  represent  and  honour  Him  by),  but  in  imitation  only  of 
those  evil  spirits  who  have  imposed  upon  the  world  under  such 
titles  and  apparitions.  But  what  need  I  mention  to  such 
knowing  persons  as  you  are  how  the  artists  manage  the  subject- 
matter  of  their  gods,  how  they  hack  and  hew  it,  and  cast  it  and 
hammer  it,  and  not  seldom  from  vessels  of  dishonour;  by 
changing  their  figure  only,  and  giving  them  another  turn  by 
the  help  of  art,  out  comes  a  worshipful  set  of  things  you  call 
gods.  This  we  look  upon  not  only  as  the  highest  flight  of 
human  folly,  but  as  the  most  injurious  affront  to  the  true  God, 

and  is  a  clear  comment  upon  that  place  of  Justin  in  his  Trypho,  where 
this  eternity  of  torments  may  seem  doubtful. — A*  Hi  {^u^ai)  KoXaZ^ovrai  Iit 
«v  ahtcr-i  xa)  tivai,  Kc.)  KoXa^Kr^xi,  o  0ios  fiXn,  Dial.  CUm   'Iryph,  '2,1'^. 

^  'axx*  ovSi  SvaloLi;  ■jmXXa.ls  kk\  ■xXokoTh  av6Zv.  "The  primitive  Christians 
startled  at  everything  that  had  but  the  least  symbolizing  with  the  heathen 
idolatry ;  they  looked  upon  the  very  making  of  idols,  without  any  design 
to  worship  them,  as  an  unlawful  trade,  and  inconsistent  with  Christianity." 
—  Tertul.  de  Idolat.  Can.  6,  p.  88.  "  The  Council  of  Ancyra  condemned 
those  to  a  two  years'  suspension  from  the  sacrament,  who  sat  down  with 
their  heathen  friends  upon  their  festivals  in  their  idol-temples,  though  they 
touched  not  one  bit  that  was  offered  to  the  idok" — Can.  7.  "Nay,  if  a 
Christian  did  but  wear  a  garland  (a  thing  usually  done  by  the  heathen 
priests)  he  was  excommunicated  for  two  years ;  nay,  if  he  did  but  go  up 
to  the  Capitol  to  see  the  Gentile  sacrifices,  and  did  not  see  them,  he  was 
punished  as  if  he  did." — Concil.  Illiber.  Vid.  not.  Albaspin.  Can.  55,  p.  69. 
Can.  59,  p.  71 :  Happy  had  it  been  for  Christendom  had  this  aversion 
to  idols  continued  to  this  day. 


(i2)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

Who  is  a  God  of  glory  and  form  ineffable,  thus  to  transfer  His 
incommunicable  Name  ^  upon  such  corruptible  and  helpless 
things  as  wood  and  stone.  Besides,  the  artificers  of  what  you 
worship  are  the  lewdest  of  men,  and,  not  to  mention  particu- 
lars, practised  in  all  sorts  of  wickedness,  as  you  yourselves  are 
very  sensible  of;  men  who  debauch  the  girls  while  they  are 
helping  them  to  make  your  gods.  Oh !  stupidity  of  men  as 
thunderstruck !  that  ever  you  should  let  such  beasts  have  a 
hand  in  making  your  gods,  and  put  them  and  the  temples 
which  hold  them  under  the  protection  of  such  villains,  never 
reflecting  what  an  execrable  crime  it  is,  either  to  think  or  say, 
that  men  have  the  care  and  keeping  of  the  gods  ! 

X.  And  while  we  look  upon  God  as  the  Giver  of  all  good 
things,  we  can  never  think  He  stands  in  need  of  the  material 
and  gross  oblations  of  men;  but  we  are  taught,  and  most 
firmly  believe  and  know,  that  they  only  are  the  acceptable 
worshippers  of  God  who  form  their  minds  by  the  mind  eternal, 
and  express  it  in  temperance,  justice,  humanity,  and  such  other 
virtues  as  are  the  essential  excellences  of  the  Divine  Nature,  or 
the  more  proper  inmost  perfections  of  Him  Who  is  a  God 
unnameable ;  ^  and  this  Almighty  Being,  so  good  in  Himself, 
made  all  things  in  the  beginning  for  the  good  of  man  out  of  a 

'  "O5  .  .  .  \'!rovofji.iZ,-.rai.  To  this  purpose  we  find  in  the  Book  of  Wisd. 
xiii.  and  xiv.  21,  "  They  did  ascribe  unto  stones  and  stocks  the  incom- 
municable Name." 

^  "  A  God  unnameable."  This  is  a  title  we  have  more  than  once  in  this 
Apology,  and  is  very  frequent  in  the  other  writings  of  this  martyr,  particu- 
larly in  his  first  Apology  according  to  the  vulgar  editions  :  ev3^«  ko.)  rf 
TtoLVToiv  ittiTft  hrov  aytvvnrtu  o\iti,  oix.  itr<ri)i,  etc.,  p.  44-  ^^  these  and  the 
words  following  Justin  teaches  that  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  have  no 
proper  names,  but  appellations  only,  which  we  give  them  upon  the  account 
of  their  good  works  and  actions,  etc. ;  and  the  reason  he  gives  for  this 
asseition  is  this  : — that  the  unbegotten  God  being  eternal,  and  His  Son 
eternally  coexisting  with  the  Father,  there  could  be  none  before  Them  to 
impose  a  name  upon  Them, 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (13) 

chaos  of  rude  ill-favoured  matter ;  and  they  who  walk  accord- 
ing to  His  will,  and  demonstrate  their  worthiness  by  their 
works,  we  are  sure  will  be  admitted  into  the  Divine  presence, 
there  to  reign  with  Him,  where  corruption  and  suffering  never 
come.  For  as  He  created  us  at  first,  when  we  were  not,  so  by 
the  same  power  will  He  restore  us  to  being  again,  and  crown 
with  the  immortal  enjoyment  of  Himself  such  as  have  made 
it  their  choice  to  please  their  Maker ;  for  though  we  had  no 
choice  in  our  creation,  yet  in  our  regeneration  we  have ;  for 
God  persuades  only,  and  draws  us  gently  in  our  regeneration, 
by  co-operating  freely  with  those  rational  powers  He  has 
bestowed  upon  us.  And  we  are  verily  of  opinion  that  it  would 
be  for  the  interest  of  all  men  living  not  only  to  tolerate  the 
learning  of  the  Christian  faith,  but  to  give  it  all  the  public 
encouragement  possible ;  for  that  inward  conscientious  dis- 
charge of  our  several  duties,  which  human  laws  can  never 
reach,  the  wisdom  which  is  from  above  would  bring  about 
effectually,  were  it  not  for  those  false  and  atheistical  accusa- 
tions which  are  sowed  about  the  world  by  diabolical  spirits, 
who  take  advantage  to  strike  in  with  that  original  sin  and 
proneness  to  all  evil  that  reigns  in  our  nature,  and  which  is 
sure  to  enter  into  confederacy  with  them;  but  of  all  their 
accusations  we  are  entirely  innocent. 

XL  But  upon  the  first  word  you  hear  of  our  expectations  of 
a  kingdom,!  you  rashly  conclude  it  must  needs  be  a  kingdom 

^  The  primitive  Christians  were  so  warmed  with  the  expectation  of  a 
Kingdom  in  the  Heavens,  that  they  did  little  else  but  prepare  to  die,  and 
took  the  first  opportunity  they  could  of  getting  out  of  the  world  ;  and 
being  continually  discoursing  of,  and  comforting  one  another  with  the 
hopes  of  this  Kingdom,  were  overheard  by  their  enemies,  and  falsely  accused 
as  treasonable  aftecters  of  the  empire,  when  alas  1  (as  Justin  Martyr  here 
assures  the  emperors)  they  meant  nothing  less  ;  and  what  contributed  very 
much  to  this  passion  for  death  was  an  opinion  they  generally  had  of  the 
day  of  judgment  being  near  at  hand,  a  terrible  day,  which  they  earnestly 
prayed  they  might  not  be  spectators  of.    This  opinion  was  started  early,  as 

M 


(14)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

upon  earth,  notwithstanding  all  we  can  say  that  it  is  one  in 
Heaven,  and  though  you  have  such  an  experimental  proof  to 
the  contrary  from  our  professing  ourselves  Christians  upon 
examination,  when  we  know  death  to  be  the  certain  conse- 
quence of  such  a  profession.  But  were  our  thoughts  fixed  upon 
a  kingdom  of  this  world,  we  would  surely  deny  our  religion  for 
the  safety  of  our  lives,  and  have  recourse  to  all  the  methods  of 
concealment  to  secure  us  in  a  whole  skin  against  that  good 
day  we  expect.  But  since  our  hopes  do  not  fasten  upon  things 
present,  the  preservation  of  our  lives  is  the  least  of  our  con- 
cern, because  we  know  our  murderers  can  cut  us  short  but  z. 
few  days  ;  for  all  must  die. 

XII.  I  must  tell  you  likewise  that  of  all  men  living  we  are 
the  greatest  promoters  of  peace,  and  bring  you  in  the  most 
powerful  auxiharies  to  establish  it  in  your  dominions,  by  teach- 
ing that  it  is  impossible  for  any  worker  of  iniquity,  any  covetous 
or  insidious  person,  any  one,  either  vicious  or  virtuous,  to  hide 
himself  from  God  ;  and  that  every  one  is  stepping  forward  into 
everlasting  misery  or  happiness  according  to  his  works.  And  if 
all  men  were  once  fully  possessed  with  a  notion  of  these  things, 
who  would  make  the  bold  adventure  to  embrace  the  pleasures 
of  sin  for  a  season,  with  his  eyes  upon  eternal  fire  at  the  end 
of  the  enjoyment?  Who  would  not  strive  all  he  could  to 
check  himself  upon  the  brink  of  ruin,  and  to  adorn  his  mind 
with  such  virtue  as  might  give  him  admission  to  the  good 
things  of  God,  and  secure  him  from  everlasting  vengeance  ? 
But  as  to  the  penalties  of  your  laws,  offenders  are  not  so  careful 
about  lying  hid  from  them,  because  they  know  you  to  be  but 
men,  and  therefore  possible  to  be  put  upon,  and  upon  the  score 

appears  by  that  caution  given  by  St.  Paul  to  the  Thessalonians  about  it 
(2  Thess.  ii.  3,  4) ;  and  it  lasted  for  some  ages  after,  as  is  evident  from 
several  places  in  Tertullian,  de  cult,  farnin.  lib.  2,  c.  9,  ad  uxor.  lib.  i, 
c.  5>  which  I  mention  here  once  for  all,  because  the  reader  will  meet  with 
this  opinion  in  the  Apology  before  him. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (15) 

of  that  possibility  are  encouraged  to  sin  on.  But  were  they 
fully  persuaded  of  the  impossibility  of  concealing  anything  from 
God,  not  only  the  works  of  their  hands,  but  even  the  motions 
of  their  minds,  the  direful  storm  of  wrath  they  see  just  dropping 
upon  their  heads,  would  needs  make  them  prepare  with  all 
speed  for  a  better  course  of  Hfe,  as  you  yourselves  will  grant. 

XIII.  But  you  seem  to  be  afraid  that  such  a  notion  of 
God's  Omniscience  should  force  every  one  to  be  good,  and  so 
quite  and  clean  spoil  the  trade  of  punishing.  Executioners 
perhaps  may  be  afraid  of  this,  but  pious  princes  surely  never 
can.  But  such  fears,  I  am  verily  persuaded,  are  the  suggestions 
of  evil  spirits,  who  get  their  sacrifices  and  worship  by  exacting 
upon  the  follies  of  wicked  men  ;  but  you  who  set  up  for  pious 
and  philosophers  will  not,  we  suppose,  be  drawn  into  the 
same  unreasonable  practices.  But  if  you,  like  other  weak 
people,  will  be  borne  down  with  the  iniquity  of  the  times,  and 
make  truth  give  place  to  custom,  do  your  worst;  but  such 
wicked  princes  as  have  no  regard  for  truth  can  do  no  more 
than  robbers  in  a  desert,  for  the  Logos  has  declared  you 
shall  not  thrive  long  in  your  idolatrous  course ;  that  Logos, 
Who  next  to  God  His  Father  we  know  to  be  the  supreme  and 
justest  of  Kings,  and  above  all  the  principalities  and  powers  in 
nature.  For  as  all  men  are  shy  of  taking  up  with  poverty, 
suffering,  or  disgrace,  merely  for  the  sake  of  custom,  so  is 
every  person  of  sense  equally  unwilling  to  do  what  reason 
declares  is  not  to  be  done,  notwithstanding  it  has  the  plea  of 
custom  for  its  practice. 

XIV.  Our  Master  Jesus  Christ,  from  Whom  we  take  the 
name  of  Christians,  the  Son  and  Apostle  ^  of  that  God  who  is 
the  Supreme  Lord  and  Maker  of  the  universe,  has  foretold 

1  ' K'Tt'oiTToXoi.  Christ  is  called  the  Apostle  of  God  from  His  being  sent 
by  Him  into  the  world,  and  is  so  styled  in  Heb.  iii.  i  :  "  Consider  the 
Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus." 


( 1 6)     The  First  Apology  of  Jtistin  Martyr. 

our  sufferings  ;  which  to  us  is  a  manifest  confirmation  of  the 
truth  of  all  His  other  doctrines,  because  we  see  these  things 
fulfilled  according  to  His  prediction  ;  for  this  or  nothing  is  the 
work  of  God,  to  declare  a  thing  shall  come  to  be,  long  before 
it  is  in  being,  and  then  to  bring  about  that  thing  to  pass 
according  to  the  same  declaration. 

XV.  And  now  I  m.ight  spare  myself  the  trouble  of  saying  a 
word  more,  considering  the  truth  and  justice  of  our  proposals  ; 
but  because  I  am  sensible  how  difficult  a  task  it  is  for  men 
bowed  down  with  aged  ignorance  to  be  set  straight  in  a 
moment,  and  for  a  further  satisfaction  to  the  lovers  of 
truth,  I  shall  enlarge  in  its  defence,  knowing  it  not  impos- 
sible to  get  the  better  of  ignorance  by  setting  matters  in  a 
fuller  light. 

XVI.  In  the  first  place,  then,  it  is  certain  we  cannot  justly 
be  branded  for  atheists,  we  who  worship  the  Creator  of  the 
universe,  not  with  blood,  libations,  and  incense  (which  we  are 
sufficiently  taught  He  stands  in  no  need  of) ;  but  we  exalt  Him 
to  the  best  of  our  power  with  the  rational  service  of  prayers 
and  praises,^  in  all  the  oblations  we  make  unto  Him  ;  believing 

'  Aoyw  ivyynf  Kou  £i;^a^/irr/'af.  What  the  Latin  translator  means  by  his 
OraUone  Precum  ac  gratiarum  actionis,  I  cannot  well  tell ;  but  I  think  he 
can  by  no  means  be  right  in  the  translation  of  these  words.  The  sacrifices  ot 
old,  both  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  were  offered  in  a  corporeal  way,  by  slaughter, 
fire,  and  incense,  but  the  sacrifice  of  Cliristians  is  offered  only  xiytu  iux,>is 
xai  li^f/pio-Ticcs,  "by  way  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving,"  as  Mr.  Mede  translates 
these  words,  p.  358.  So  that  according  to  this  learned  person  these 
words  are  to  be  understood  of  the  manner  of  offering  ;  the  bread  and  wine, 
the  matter  of  the  Christian  sacrifice,  are  offered  XoyiKu;  spiritually  ;  which 
the  Fathers  in  the  first  Council  of  Nice  call  a.6urcjs  (vnrCai,  "  to  be  sacrificed 
without  sacrificing  rites."  And  this  sense  is  further  confirmed  by  what 
follows,  where  Justin  argues  against  the  gross  way  of  the  Gentiles  sacrific- 
ing, by  consuming  in  fire  what  God  made  for  our  nourishment.  "Oo-x 
2uva^<j,  which  I  translate,  "  to  the  best  of  our  power,"  I  take  notice  of  only 
by  the  by  in  this  place  because  I  shall  have  occasion  to  explain  it  more 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr,     (17) 

this  to  be  the  only  honour  worthy  of  Him ;  not  to  consume 
the  creatures  which  He  has  given  us  for  our  use,  and  the  com- 
fort of  those  that  want,  in  the  fire  by  sacrifice,  but  to  approve 
ourselves  thankful  to  Him,  and  to  express  this  gratitude  in  the 
rational  pomp  of  the  most  solemn  hymns  ^  at  the  altar  in 
acknowledgment  of  our  creation,  preservation,  and  all  the 
blessings  of  variety  in  things  and  seasons ;  and  also  for  the 
hopes  of  a  resurrection  to  a  life  incorruptible,  which  we  are 
sure  to  have  for  asking,  provided  we  ask  in  faith.  Who  that 
knows  anything  of  us  will  not  confess  this  to  be  our  way  of 
worshipping  ?  And  who  can  stigmatize  such  worshippers  for 
atheists  ?  The  Master  Who  instructed  us  in  this  kind  of  wor- 
ship, and  Who  was  born  for  this  very  purpose,  and  crucified 
under  Pontius  Pilate,  procurator  of  Judea,  in  the  reign  of 
Tiberius  Ceesar,  is  Jesus  Christ,  Whom  we  know  to  be  the 
Son  of  the  true  God,  and  therefore  hold  Him  the  second  in 
order,  and  the  Prophetic  Spirit  the  third ;  ^  and  that  we  have 

fully  hereafter ;  only  I  believe  the  impartial  reader  will  hardly  conceive 
this  passage  to  be  a  good  proof  for  extemporary  prayer. 

^  Xlo/A'Tras  Ko.)  v/iit/ou;.  Dr.  Grabe  observes  that  the  word  Uof^th  often 
signifies  that  public  pomp  and  pageantry  which  was  exhibited  at  the 
heathen  sports  ;  and  from  hence  concludes  that  it  is  translated  hither  to 
signify  those  prayers  which  are  recited  with  more  than  ordinary  solemnity 
at  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist.  The  mention  of  hymns  in  this  place, 
and  not  one  word  of  them  in  that  where  Justin  is  giving  an  account  of 
their  way  of  public  worship,  is  a  plain  argument  that  he  did  not  design  to 
acquaint  them  with  every  particular  they  did  at  their  religious  assemblies  ; 
for  there  is  no  doubt  but  singing  of  psalms  was  a  part  of  divine  service, 
and  as  a  main  part  too  mentioned  by  Pliny  in  his  Letter  to  Trajan — Seaini 
invicem  canere — "they  sang  psalms  together,  or  alternately,  or  by  turns  ;" 
for  so  perhaps  the  words  may  signify.  These  psalms  were  partly  David's, 
partly  extemporary  raptures  while  inspiration  lasted,  or  set  compositions 
taken  out  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  of  their  own  composing,  as  you  find 
in  Tertul.  Apol.  c.  39 ;  and  this  continued  till  the  Council  of  Laodicea 
ordered  that  no  psalms  composed  by  private  persons  should  be  recited  in 
the  church,  Can.  59. 

^  Here  again  you  see  the  sacred  Trinity  of  Divine  Persons  mentioned  in 
their  order,  and  the  Prophetic  Spirit  in  the  third  place,  which  evidently 


( 1 8)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

good  reason  for  worshipping  in  this  subordination,  I  shall 
show  hereafter.  For  here  they  look  upon  it  as  downright 
madness  to  assign  to  a  crucified  man  the  next  place  to  the 
immutable,  eternal  God,  Parent  of  all  things,^  being  entirely 
in  the  dark  as  to  the  mystery  of  this  order;  and  therefore 
I  advise  you  to  give  diligent  attention  while  I  expound  it 
to  you. 

XVII.  But  first  I  am  to  caution  you  against  those  spirits, 
which  I  have  already  accused  for  practising  upon  you,  that 
they  do  not  delude  and  pervert  you  from  reading  and  under- 
standing what  I  am  now  proposing  to  your  consideration ;  for 
to  hold  you  in  slavery  and  bondage  is  the  prize  they  contend 
for,  and  sometimes  by  visions  in  sleep,  sometimes  by  magical 
impostures,  they  make  sure  of  all  such  as  are  little  concerned 
about  their  salvation.  I  could  wish  you  would  follow  our 
example,  who  by  the  persuasions  of  the  Logos  have  revolted 
from  these  spiritual  wickednesses,  and  come  over  to  the  obedi- 
ence of  the  only  unbegotten  God,  through  His  Son  Jesus  Christ. 
We,  who  heretofore  gave  ourselves  a  loose  to  women,^  now 

shows  that  the  interposition  of  angels,  sect.  6,  must  be  looked  upon  only 
as  in  a  parenthesis,  and  that  St.  Justin  no  more  intended  those  ministering 
spirits  for  the  objects  of  Christian  worship  than  he  intended  they  should 
take  the  place  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  order  of  worship. 

^  The  reader  will  find  in  this  Apology  God  continually  called  yxr/rrTo^"- 
tZi  -jravTut  and  Tars/ia  rut  oXojv,  "  Maker  of  all  things  and  Father  of  the 
universe  ; "  and  therefore  he  is  desired  once  for  all  to  take  notice  that  our 
author  repeats  this  attribute  so  often,  because  some  heretics  in  his  time 
denied  God  to  be  the  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  he  expressly  men- 
tions Marcion  for  one,  sect.  35,  who  taught  another  god  greater  than  the 
Creator  of  the  world. 

^  O;  va.y.a.1  ^£v  -TTopiia.!;  ^aipovTic,  etc.  This  wonderful  change  in  manners 
is  often  appealed  to  by  the  primitive  converts ;  and  that  men  so  long  bent 
to  lust  and  passion  should  be  set  upright  in  a  moment,  I  look  upon  as  a 
miracle  in  morality  ;  for  nothing  but  the  mighty  grace  of  God,  and  the 
brightest  hopes  of  future  happiness,  could  prevail  with  all  sorts  of  men 
thus  to  embrace  the  Christian  faith  at  the  certain  expense  almost  of  their 


The  First  Apology  of  Jttstm  Martyr.     ( 1 9) 

strictly  contain  within  the  bounds  of  chastity  ;  we,  who  devoted 
ourselves  to  magic  arts,  now  consecrate  ourselves  entirely  to 
the  good  unbegotten  God ;  we,  who  loved  nothing  like  our 
possessions,  now  produce  all  we  have  in  common,  and  spread 
our  whole  stock  before  our  indigent  brethren ;  we,  who  were 
pointed  with  mutual  hatred  and  destruction,  and  would  not  so 
much  as  warm  ourselves  at  the  same  fire  with  those  of  a 
different  tribe  upon  the  account  of  different  institutions,  now 
since  the  coming  of  Christ  cohabit  and  diet  together,  and 
pray  for  our  enemies ;  and  all  our  returns  for  evil  are  but  the 
gentlest  persuasives  to  convert  those  who  unjustly  hate  us, 
that  by  living  up  to  the  same  virtuous  precepts  of  Christ  they 
might  be  filled  with  the  same  comfortable  hopes  of  obtaining 
the  like  happiness  with  ourselves,  from  that  God  Who  is  the 
Lord  of  all  things. 

XVIII.  But  before  I  enter  further  into  the  explication  of  the 
Christian  mysteries,  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  give  you  a  taste  of 
the  very  doctrines  delivered  by  Christ  Himself,  to  show  that 
we  are  no  cheats,  nor  have  any  design  to  trick  upon  you  in 
this  matter,  and  I  shall  leave  it  to  you  to  examine,  as  princes 
who  are  well  able,  whether  this  is  not  the  very  doctrine  of 
Christ,  and  the  same  we  preach  to  the  world.  His  discourses 
are  short  and  sententious,  for  He  was  no  trifling  sophister,  but 
Christ  the  Power  of  God,  and  the  Wisdom  of  God.  Thus 
then  He  delivered  Himself  concerning  chastity ;  "  Whoso 
looketh  upon  a  woman  to  lust  after  her  hath  committed 
adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart  before  God "  ^  (Matt, 
v.  28).  "And  if  thy  right  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out;  it 
is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  with 

lives  ;  and  from  the  bitterest  enemies,  and  the  lewdest  of  rnen,  to  become 
the  most  loving,  forgiving,  and  chastest  people  in  the  world. 

'  "O?  av  i^j3xs\^'/?.  In  Scripture  quotations  you  are  to  observe  that 
Justin  does  not  tie  himself  to  the  very  words  of  the  text,  but  their  sense 
only. 


(2o)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

one  eye,  rather  than  having  two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  hell 
fire.  And  whosoever  shall  marry  her  that  is  divorced  from 
her  husband  committeth  adultery  "  (Matt.  v.  29,  32,  xix.  9). 
"  And  there  are  some  which  are  made  eunuchs  of  men,  and 
some  who  have  made  themselves  eunuchs  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven's  sake ;  but  all  cannot  receive  this  saying  "  (Matt.  xix. 
II,  12).  So  that  such  kind  of  second  marriages  of  persons 
divorced,  and  the  very  looking  upon  a  woman  to  lust  after 
her,  which  are  not  criminal  by  human  laws,  by  our  Master's 
laws  are  adultery  ;^  for  not  only  the  adulterer  in  fact  but  in  will 
is  condemned  by  Christ.  And  for  good  reason,  because  the 
inward  desires,  as  well  as  the  outward  actions,  are  equally 
manifest  to  God.  And  I  can  produce  abundance  of  both  sexes 
who  have  from  their  childhood  been  disciplined  unto  Christ,^ 

^  In  times  of  persecution  very  many  Christians  abstained  from  marriage, 
to  be  freer  from  the  cares  of  the  world,  and  more  expeditious  in  the  semce 
of  God  and  their  brethren  ;  and  those  who  married,  did  it  (as  our  Martyr 
elsewhere  says)  only  for  the  sake  of  children,  and  the  bringing  them  up  in 
the  Christian  religion  ;  but  the  first  Fathers  were  extremely  severe  against 
second  marriages,  looking  upon  them  but  as  a  better  kind  of  adultery  ;  and 
by  the  apostolical  canons  such  as  engaged  in  second  marriages  after 
baptism  were  made  incapable  of  any  degree  in  the  ministry.  However,  this 
severity  is  much  abated,  if  it  is  to  be  understood  (as  some  say  it  4s)  of  such 
only  as  had  two  wives  at  once  ;  for  we  are  told  by  a  learned  person  that 
there  were  three  sorts  of  bigamy — the  first,  a  man's  having  two  wives  at 
once,  this  was  condemned  by  the  Roman  laws  ;  the  second,  when  the 
former  wife  being  dead,  the  man  married  a  second  time  ;  a  third,  when 
for  any  slight  cause  a  man  put  away  his  wife  by  a  bill  of  divorce,  which 
was  but  too  frequently  done,  and  allowed  by  the  laws  of  those  times,  but 
condemned  by  the  Church  ;  and  of  this  last  sort  of  bigamy  many  of  the 
ancient  canons  are  to  be  understood.  —  Vid.  Justell.  Not.  in  Can.  i.  Cotic, 
Laod. 

*  O'l  Ik  ■^a.lluM  £^a^«T£u»ir£v.  This  passage,  I  think,  is  hardly  capaMe  of 
being  wrested  to  signify  less  than  the  baptism  of  children  ;  for  the  Martyr 
speaks  of  such  as  had  been  discipled  unto  Christ  from  their  childhood,  and 
this  discipling,  we  know,  was  by  baptism  (Matt,  xxviii.  19,  where  we  have 
the  same  word  fict^nnvu) ;  and  these  disciples,  he  says,  also  continued  virgins 
all  their  time,  which  is  another  argument  of  their  being  baptized  from  their 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (21) 

and  lived  in  a  constant  course  of  spotless  virginity  to  sixty  or 
seventy  years  of  age ;  and  I  cannot  but  glory  in  being  able  to 
produce  so  many  instances  of  Christian  purity  out  of  every 
nation.  But  why  should  I  go  about  to  muster  up  a  numberless 
multitude  of  such  who  have  taken  leave  of  their  intemperance, 
and  come  over  to  the  Christian  institution  ?  For  Christ  called 
not  the  just,  and  temperate,  but  the  impious,  incontinent,  and 
unjust  to  repentance,  according  to  His  own  saying,  "  I  came 
not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance "  (Matt, 
ix.  13) ;  for  our  heavenly  Father  delights  not  in  the  correction, 
but  the  amendment  of  sinners. 

XIX.  Concerning  the  duty  of  universal  love.  He  thus 
teaches  :  "  If  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  do  ye  more 
than  other  men  ?  For  sinners  do  the  same.  But  I  say  unto 
you.  Pray  for  your  enemies,  love  those  that  hate  you,  and  do 
good  to  them  which  curse  you  and  despitefully  use  you " 
(Matt.  v.  44,  46).  Concerning  giving  alms  to  the  poor,  and 
against  vainglory  in  doing  them,  He  commands  thus  :  "  Give 
to  every  one  that  asketh,  and  from  him  that  would  borrow 
turn  not  away"  (Matt.  v.  42).  "And  if  ye  lend  to  them  of 
whom  ye  hope  to  receive  again,  what  thanks  have  ye  ? 
Do  not  publicans  the  same  ? "  (Luke  vi.  34).  "  Lay  not 
up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and 
rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and 
steal ;    but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where 

childhood  ;  but,  above  all,  the  opposing  the  children  to  such  as  had  changed 
from  intemperance,  and  consequently  were  men,  and  converted  and 
baptized  upon  a  due  consideration  of  the  Christian  principles.  This 
opposition,  I  say,  makes  it  plain  to  me  that  he  meant  such  persons  as 
were  discipled  into  Christ,  before  they  were  capable  of  learning  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine  by  instruction.  Now  this  Apology  is  not  fifty  years  younger 
than  St.  John's  Revelation,  and  if  a  person  of  Justin's  learning  and  curio- 
sity was  able  to  know  such  a  plain  matter  of  fact  as  baptism,  and  if  the 
Martyr  had  sincerity  enough  to  declare  it  ingenuously,  then  I  take  this  to 
be  a  very  strong  proof  for  infant  baptism. 


(22)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

moth  and  rust  doth  not  corrupt"  (Matt  vi.  19,  20).  "For 
what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul,  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul?"  (Matt.  xvi.  26;  Luke  ix.  25).  "Be  ye  kind 
and  merciful,  as  your  Father  is  kind  and  merciful,  who  maketh 
His  sun  to  rise  upon  sinners,  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good  " 
(Matt.  V.  45,  48).  "  Take  no  thought  what  you  shall  eat, 
or  what  you  shall  put  on ;  are  you  not  much  better  than 
birds  and  beasts?  And  yet  God  taketh  care  of  them.  Be 
not  therefore  solicitous  what  you  shall  eat,  or  wherewithal  ye 
shall  be  clothed,  for  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye 
have  need  of  these  things.  But  seek  ye  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  all  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.  For  where  your 
treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also"  (Matt.  vi.  21,  25, 
26,  33).  "Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  your  alms  to  be  a 
spectacle  to  men,  otherwise  ye  have  no  reward  of  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  "  (Matt.  vi.  i). 

XX.  Concerning  patience,  submission,  and  meekness,  these 
are  our  Master's  rules  :  "  Whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy 
right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also;^  and  him  tnat  taketh 
away  thy  cloak,  forbid  not  to  take  thy  coat  also  "  (Matt.  v. 
39,  40).  "  Whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a  cause 
shall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire"  (Matt.  v.  21).    "  Whosoever  shall 

^  "  Whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the 
other  also."  Isidore  the  Pelusiote  upon  this  passage  {Ep.  127, 1.  3,  p.  269) 
has  so  truly  expressed  the  primitive  spirit,  and  the  turn  is  so  engaging,  that 
I  will  not  ask  pardon  for  setting  it  down.  "The  King  of  Heaven,"  says  he, 
"came  down  to  instruct  the  world  in  the  laws  of  an  heavenly  conversation, 
which  He  has  proposed  in  a  way  of  conflict,  quite  contrary  to  that  in  the 
Olympic  games,  for  there  he  that  fights  and  conquers  wins  the  garland  ; 
here  he  that  is  beaten  and  bears  it  with  patience  receives  the  crown  ;  there 
he  that  is  smitten  and  returns  blow  for  blow  ;  here  he  that  turns  the  other 
cheek  is  celebrated  the  victor  in  the  theatre  of  angels  ;  for  the  Christian 
victory  is  measured  not  by  revenge  but  patience.  This  is  the  new  law  of 
crowns  ;  this  the  new  way  of  conflict  and  contention. " 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (23) 

compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain"  (Matt.  v.  41).  "Let 
your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven"  (Matt.  v.  16). 
A  Christian  hand  must  by  no  means  be  lifted  up  in  resistance; 
for  Christ  will  not  have  His  disciples  Hke  the  rest  of  the  world, 
but  orders  them  to  shine  with  a  distinguishing  patience  and 
meekness,  and  to  win  men  over  from  their  sins  by  such  gentle 
arts  of  conversion.  And  I  could  give  you  a  proof  of  the 
influence  of  such  bright  examples  from  many  converts  among 
us,  who  from  men  of  violence  and  oppression  were  transformed 
into  quite  another  nature,  perfectly  overcome  by  the  passive 
courage  of  their  Christian  neighbours,  or  by  observing  the  new 
astonishing  patience  of  such  injured  Christians  as  they  chanced 
to  travel  with,  or  the  experience  they  had  of  their  fidelity  in 
their  dealings. 

XXI.  Concerning  swearing  not  at  all,  and  a  perpetual 
regard  to  truth  in  all  our  communication,  He  thus  ordains : 
"  Swear  not  at  all,^  but  let  your  yea  be  yea,  and  your  nay,  nay; 
for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these   cometh  of  evil"  (Matt. 

^  Some  of  the  ancient  Fathers  from  this  text,  "Swear  not  at  all,"  held 
the  taking  of  an  oath  unlawful ;  but  far  the  greatest  part  of  them  were 
of  another  opinion,  and  interpreted  this  prohibition,  of  swearing  by  the 
creatures  (which  was  the  case  of  the  Jews,  and  which  our  Saviour  and  St. 
James  principally  aim  at,  and  which  is  countenanced  by  the  text  when 
rightly  pointed),  and  of  vain,  rash,  and  false  swearing.  It  would  be  well, 
indeed,  if  the  hcnesty  of  Christians  now-a-days  did  supersede  the  necessity 
of  oaths,  and  that  their  majesty  was  not  prostituted  by  their  multitude 
and  the  meanness  of  the  occasion  ;  but  that  it  is  lawful  to  take  an  oath,  we 
have  our  Master's  practice,  who  answered  upon  oath  ;  and  St.  Paul's  often 
calling  God  to  witness,  to  justify  the  thing,  and  the  military  oath  taken  by 
the  Christian  soldiers,  put  it  out  of  doubt ;  the  form  of  which  is  thus  set 
down  by  Vegetius,  an  heathen,  viz. — "  They  swore  by  God,  Christ,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  majesty  of  the  emperor,  which  next  to  God  is  to 
be  loved  and  honoured  by  mankind."  And  this  you  will  find  exactly 
?.grees  with  the  account  given  long  before  of  the  Christians  by  TertuUian, 
Apol.  c.  32. 


(24)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

V.  37),  Concerning  the  worship  of  God  only,  He  thus 
appoints :  "  This  is  the  first  Commandment,  Thou  shalt 
v/orship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve 
with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  strength"  (Matt.  iv.  10), 
the  Lord  thy  God  Which  made  thee.  And  a  certain  person 
coming  to  Him,  and  addressing  Him  in  these  words,  "  Good 
Master,"  He  returned  him  this  answer,  "  There  is  none  good 
but  God  only"  (Matt.  xix.  16,  17),  Who  made  all  things. 

XXn.  But  those  now  who  are  found  not  to  make  His 
precepts  the  rule  of  their  lives  are  to  be  looked  upon  as  no 
Christians,  let  them  say  never  such  fine  things  of  His  law ;  for 
it  is  not  the  sayers,  but  the  doers,  that  shall  be  justified.  "  Not 
every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  that  doth  the  will  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  Whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of 
mine  and  doeth  them,  heareth  Him  that  sent  me.  Many 
will  say  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  eaten  and  drunk 
in  Thy  name,  and  done  wonders  ?  And  then  will  I  say 
unto  them.  Depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity "  (Matt, 
vii.  21-24).  "Then  shall  there  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of 
teeth,  when  the  righteous  shall  shine  forth  as  the  sun,  but 
the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  everlasting  fire"  (Matt.  xiii. 
42,  43).  "  Many  shall  come  to  you  in  my  name  in  sheep's 
clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening  wolves.  Ye  shall 
know  them  by  their  fruits.  But  every  tree  that  bringeth 
not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  fire " 
(Matt.  vii.  15,  16,  19).  But  Christians  in  word  only,  who 
talk  these  precepts,  but  live  them  not,  such  we  beg  may  smart 
for  their  hypocrisy. 

XXni.  As  to  tribute  and  custom, ^  no  men  living  take  such 

'  To  this  purpose  Tertullian  argues,  Apol.  c.  42,  that  though  they  would 
not  pay  taxes  for  the  maintenance  of  the  heathen  temples,  yet  they  made 
sufficient  amends  for  this  in  their  faithful  payments  of  all  the  rest.     The 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (25) 

pains  to  pay  their  collectors  so  faithfully  as  we  do,  who  pay 
them  in  obedience  to  our  Lord's  command  ;  for  when  some 
came  to  Him  with  this  question,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute 
unto  Caesar  or  not?  Tell  me  (says  He)  whose  image  this 
money  bears  ?  They  say  unto  Him,  Caesar's.  Then  saith  He 
unto  them,  Render  therefore  unto  Caesar  the  things  which  are 
Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's"  (Matt, 
xxii.  17,  20,  21).  Accordingly,  therefore,  we  render  unto  God 
only  the  tribute  of  worship,^  and  to  you  a  cheerful  obedience 
in  all  things  else,  acknowledging  you  to  be  emperors  and 
rulers  upon  earth,  and  withal  praying  that  imperial  majesty 
may  be  always  found  in  the  company  of  true  wisdom.^  But 
if  neither  our  prayers,  nor  all  our  contributions  for  the  good  of 
the  public,  will  touch  you  with  any  concern  for  Christians,  we 
shall  be  no  losers  ;  for  we  believe,  or  rather  are  fully  assured, 
that  every  one  according  to  his  demerits  shall  suffer  in  eternal 
fire,  and  shall  give  a  strict  account  to  God  in  proportion  to  the 
power  he  is  intrusted  with,  as  Christ  has  declared,  "  For  unto 
whomsoever  God  has  given  much,  of  him  shall  be  much 
required  "  (Luke  xii.  48). 

XXIV.  Turn  back  your  thoughts  upon  the  past  emperors, 
and  you  will  find  they  all  died  like  other  men  ;  and  could  you 
but  discover  one  to  be  in  a  state  of  insensibility,  you  would 

truth  is,  the  primitive  Christians  were  strictly  conscientious  in  everything, 
but  in  nothing  more  (as  you  will  find  in  these  Apologies)  than  in  what 
related  to  the  pubUc,  and  concerned  their  duty  and  obedience  to  rulers 
and  governors,  and  those  too  very  often  the  worst  of  men. 

^  eso»  ^.b  i^itov  vpoffx-vvov/^iv.  We  worship  God  alone.  Angels,  therefore, 
are  not  to  be  worshipped,  and  Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost  Which  are 
worshipped  are  consequently  God. 

2  Tertullian,  likewise,  Apol.  c.  39,  tells  us,  "  It  was  a  solemn  part  of 
the  Church  in  his  time  to  pray  for  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  the 
princes  under  whom  they  lived.  And  the  Church  of  England  is  so  truly 
primitive  in  this  point,  that  her  liturgy  has  been  thought  too  much  clogged 
with  prayers  for  kings." 


(26)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

make  a  welcome  discovery  to  the  wicked  world ;  but  since  all 
departed  souls  continue  in  sensation,^  and  everlasting  fire  is 
treasured  up  for  the  unrighteous,  let  me  advise  you  to  look 
well  about  you,  and  lay  these  things  seriously  to  heart.  For 
even  necromancy,^  and  the  inspection  of  the  entrails  of  sound 
children,  and  the  calling  out  the  souls  of  dead  men,  and  what 
the  magicians  term  dream-senders  and  familiars,  and  many 
other  practices  of  the  dealers  in  this  black  art,  may  induce  you 
to  believe  that  souls  after  death  are  in  a  state  of  sensation ; 
and,  moreover,  those  persons  who  are  violently  caught  up,  and 
dashed  down  again  by  departed  spirits,^  and  who  pass  among 
you  all  for  demoniacs  and  mad,  and  hkewise  the  Amphilochian, 
Dodonaan,  Pythian,  and  other  like  oracles,  and  also  the 
doctrines  of  many  of  your  writers,  such  as  Empedocles, 
Pythagoras,  Plato,  and  Socrates,  and  Homer's  Ditch,  and 
Ulysses's  Visit  to  the  Infernal  Shades,  and  their  Confabulations 
with  him, — these,  I  say,  all  argue  the  immortality  of  human 


^  Here  we  have  two  things  expressly  asserted  by  Justin  Martyr  ;  one, 
that  all  departed  souls  are  in  a  state  of  sensation,  against  Dr.  Coward's 
notion  of  their  being  in  the  same  senseless  state  with  the  body  till  the 
resurrection  ;  the  other,  that  all  the  wicked  whatsoever  shall  suffer  eternal 
torments,  against  the  learned  Mr.  Dodwell,  in  his  Epistolary  Discourse, 
"  proving  from  the  Scriptures  and  the  First  Fathers  that  the  soul  is  a 
principle  naturally  mortal,"  etc. 

2  The  several  species  of  magic  you  will  find  mentioned  by  Tertullian, 
Apol.  c.  23.  The  sum  of  what  he  drives  at  in  this  section  is  to  prove  the 
immortality  of  human  souls  from  the  practice  of  magicians,  in  raising  up, 
and  conversing  with  departed  spirits ;  the  inspection  of  the  entrails  of 
young  children  supposes  that  the  souls  of  these  children  stood  by  and  assisted 
the  inspectors  in  the  revelation  of  things  to  come.  For  a  more  particular 
account  of  this  horrid  practice,  and  for  the  meaning  of  the  words  hufio-riiiJi.'jroi 
and  -^upiipoi,  I  refer  the  learned  reader  to  Dr.  Grabe's  Notes  upon  this 
Apology. 

'^  Such  were  the  two  demoniacs  in  the  country  of  the  Gergesenes,  who 
came  out  of  the  tombs,  "exceeding  fierce,  so  that  no  man  might  pass  by 
that  way  "  (Matt.  viii.  28) ;  and  from  their  dwelling  only  among  tombs, 
these  spirits  were  concluded  to  be  the  souls  of  dead  men. 


The  First  Apology  of  Jzistin  Marty 7'.     (27) 

souls,  and  several  others  of  the  same  opinion  about  spirits 
with  ourselves,  with  whom  we  desire  the  like  treatment,  as 
having  not  a  less,  but  a  much  greater  faith  in  God  than  they 
ever  had,  being  under  a  full  expectation  of  being  restored  to 
these  bodies,  after  they  are  dead  and  rotten,  because  we  know 
that  with  God  nothing  is  impossible. 

XXV.  And  truly  what  to  any  considering  person  would 
seem  more  incredible,  were  it  not  that  we  ourselves  are  in  a 
body,  than  to  be  told  that  it  is  possible  for  bones  and  nerves 
and  flesh  to  be  spun  out  from  a  seminal  drop,  into  such  a 
thing  as  we  see  man  to  be  j  I  speak  this  by  way  of  hypothesis  ; 
supposing,  I  say,  before  you  were  in  the  state  you  now  are, 
and  generated  of  such  parents,  any  one  should  come  and 
show  you  this  seminal  drop  and  the  picture  of  man,  and 
withal  aver  it  to  be  possible  for  such  a  creature  to  rise  out  of 
such  a  principle,  which  of  you  would  think  it  credible  before 
he  saw  the  production  ?  Not  one,  I  daresay,  would  deny  it  to 
be  impossible.  In  the  same  manner  you  are  now  possessed 
with  a  disbelief  of  a  resurrection,  because  you  never  saw  a 
person  rise  again  from  the  dead  :  but  as  at  first  you  would 
not  believe  it  possible  for  this  little  speck  to  work  itself  into  a 
man,  though  now  you  see  it  true  in  fact,  so  ought  you  to 
conclude  it  as  practicable  for  human  bodies  covered  in  the 
earth,  and  dead  like  seed,  to  spring  again  in  their  season  at 
the  Almighty  Word,  and  put  on  incorruption.  But  how  suit- 
able such  a  power  is  to  God  which  those  cut  out  for  Him  who 
affirm  everything  to  depart  into  that  original  matter  from 
whence  it  came,  and  after  that  departure  to  be  gone  for  ever, 
and  irrevocable  even  beyond  the  call  of  God  Himself;  whether 
this,  I  say,  is  a  becoming  notion  of  Almighty  Power,  I  will  not 
now  inquire ;  but  this  I  will  venture  to  say,  that  these  gentle- 
men would  never  have  believed  it  possible  that  themselves 
and  the  whole  world  could  have  been  what  they  now  find 
they  are,  and  from  such  principles. 


(28)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

XXVI.  But  we  have  justly  presumed  it  the  most  rational 
to  believe  what  may  seem  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of 
things,  and  to  men  impossible,  rather  than  stand  out  and 
imitate  others  in  a  foolish  infidelity,  especially  since  our 
Master  Christ  hath  taught  us,i  "That  the  things  which  are 
impossible  with  men  are  possible  with  God"  (Luke  xviii.  27) ; 
and  Hkewise  given  orders,  "Not  to  fear  them  that  kill  the 
body,  and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do ;  but  fear 
Him  who  after  He  hath  killed  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and 
body  in  hell"  (Matt,  x.  28). 

XXVn.  Now  hell  is  that  place  where  the  wicked  livers, 
and  such  as  disbelieve  the  revelations  of  God  by  Christ, 
shall  suffer;  and  the  Sibyl  and  Hystaspes  hath  both  given 
out  that  this  whole  system  of  corruptibles  shall  be  destroyed 
by  fire ;  2  nay,  the  Stoics  have  a  conceit  that  God  Himself  shall 
be  resolved  into  fire,  and  that  there  shall  rise  a  new  world 
refined  from  the  ruins  of  the  old ;  but  we  conceive  far  more 
honourably  of  God  than  to  range  the  Creator  of  the  universe 
among  things  subject  to  alteration. 

XXVni.  If,  then,  we  hold  some  opinions  near  of  kin  to  the 
poets  and  philosophers  in  greatest  repute  among  you,  and 
others  of  a  diviner  strain,  and  far  above  out  of  their  sight, 
and  have  demonstration  on  our  side  into  the  bargain,  why  are 
we  to  be  thus  unjustly  hated,  and  to  stand  distinguished  in 
misery  above  the  rest  of  mankind  ?     For  in  saying  that  all  things 

'  This  great  philosopher  and  Christian  martyr  was  so  far  from  thinking 
with  our  modern  reasoners,  that  his  faith  ought  to  go  no  further  than  clear- 
ness and  connection  of  ideas,  that  he  thought  it  reasonable,  and  becoming 
finite  minds,  to  believe  beyond  the  ken  of  mortal  eye,  and  to  conclude  that 
possible  to  God  which  to  us  might  seem  impossible. 

*  "  Esse  quoque  in  fatis  reminiscitur  affore  tempus, 
Quo  Mare,  quo  Tellus,  correptaque  Regia  Cseli 
Ardeat,  et  mundi  moles  operosa  laboret." 

— Ovid,  Metam.  lib.  i. 


The  First  Apology  of  Jzistin  Martyr.      (29) 

were  made  in  this  beautiful  order  by  God,  what  do  we  seem 
to  say  more  than  Plato?  When  we  teach  a  general  con- 
flagration, what  do  we  teach  more  than  the  Stoics  ?  When  we 
assert  departed  souls  to  be  in  a  state  of  sensibility,  and  the 
wicked  to  be  in  torments,  but  the  good  free  from  pain  and  in 
a  blissful  condition,  we  assert  no  more  than  your  poets  and 
philosophers.  By  opposing  the  worship  of  the  works  of  men's 
hands,  we  concur  with  Menander  the  comedian,  and  such  as 
affirm  the  workman  to  be  greater  than  his  work ;  and  by 
declaring  the  Logos,  the  First-begotten  of  God,  our  Master 
Jesus  Christ,  to  be  born  of  a  Virgin  without  any  human 
mixture,  and  to  be  crucified  and  dead,  and  to  have  rose  again 
and  ascended  into  heaven,  we  say  no  more  in  this  than  what 
you  say  of  those  whom  you  style  the  sons  of  Jove. 

XXIX.  For  you  need  not  be  told  what  a  parcel  of  sons 
the  writers  most  in  vogue  among  you  assign  to  Jove ;  ^  there 
is  Mercury,  Jove's  interpreter,  in  imitation  of  the  Logos, 
in  worship  among  you,  and  your  grand  teacher ;  there  is 
-^sculapius,  the  physician  smitten  by  a  bolt  of  thunder,  and 

'  The  kingdom  of  darkness  had  well-nigh  overcast  the  whole  world 
when  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  rose  upon  it.  The  worship  of  false  gods 
obtained  everywhere  but  among  the  Jews,  and  this  universal  idolatry 
being  one  of  the  greatest  obstructions  to  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  the 
prevailing  sin  of  these  times,  the  reader  must  be  content  to  find  the  first 
Christian  apologists  very  large  upon  this  head,  in  order  to  root  out  this 
pack  of  vanities,  and  to  ridicule  and  argue  them  out  of  the  world  ;  and  be- 
cause the  worship  of  a  crucified  man  was  that  which  they  mostly  stuck  at, 
Justin  makes  a  parallel,  and  shows  that  this  Christ,  the  God  of  Christians, 
neither  as  the  Son  of  God,  nor  of  a  Virgin,  nor  as  a  crucified  man,  could 
justly  be  objected  against  and  denied  divine  worship  by  those  who  had 
so  many  sons  and  daughters  of  Jove,  and  such  too  as  suffered  death,  in 
constant  worship  amongst  themselves.  But  this  kind  of  idolatry  being 
now  quite  out  of  doors,  I  shall  not  trouble  the  reader  with  any  notes  upon 
the  gods  of  the  heathen,  as  thinking  it  altogether  unedifying,  and  there- 
fore, once  for  all,  refer  the  more  curious  to  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Grabe  in 
his  edition  o!  this  Apology. 

N 


(30)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

after  that  ascending  into  heaven ;  there  is  Bacchus,  torn  to 
pieces ;  and  Hercules,  burnt  to  get  rid  of  his  pains  \  there  are 
Pollux  and  Castor,  the  sons  of  Jove  by  Leda,  and  Perseus  by 
Danae,  and  the  mortal  Bellerophon,  who  fell  from  his  Pegasus  ; 
not  to  mention  Ariadne,  and  others  like  her,  translated  into 
constellations,  according  to  your  writers.  Moreover,  I  would 
fain  know  why  you  always  deify  the  departed  emperors,  and 
have  a  fellow  at  hand  to  make  affidavit  that  he  saw  Caesar 
mount  to  heaven  from  the  funeral  pile?  Nor  can  I  think 
there  is  any  need  of  repeating  to  such  knowing  persons  the 
extravagances  recorded  of  every  son  of  Jove,  only  to  put  you 
in  mind  that  they  are  recorded  for  the  better  corrupting  and 
improving  young  students  in  the  arts  of  debauchery ;  for  every 
one  thinks  it  noble  to  equal  the  gods  in  wickedness.  But  far 
be  it  from  men  of  sense  to  harbour  such  opinions  of  the  gods, 
namely,  that  their  Jove,  the  supreme  and  father  of  all  the  gods, 
should  be  a  parricide,  and  the  son  of  a  parricide,  and  be 
captivated  by  the  vilest  lusts,  and  descended  upon  Ganimede 
and  a  crew  of  notorious  adulteresses,  and  beget  children  after 
his  own  likeness.  But  as  I  have  said,  these  are  the  stratagems 
of  wicked  spirits  j  whereas  we  teach  that  such  only  should  be 
crowned  with  a  blessed  immortality  who  have  imitated  God 
in  virtue ;  and  those  who  have  lived  wickedly,  and  not  re- 
pented to  the  amendment  of  their  lives,  we  believe  shall  be 
punished  in  fire  everlasting. 

XXX.  As  to  the  Son  of  God  called  Jesus,  should  we  allow 
Him  to  be  nothing  more  than  man,  yet  the  title  of  the  Son  of 
God  is  very  justifiable  upon  the  account  of  His  wisdom  ;  for  is 
not  God  styled  by  your  own  writers.  Father  of  Gods  and  Men  ? 
But  now  if  we  say  that  the  Logos  of  God  is  properly  the 
begotten  of  God,  by  a  generation  quite  different  from  that  of 
men,  as  I  have  already  mentioned,  yet  even  this  I  say  is  no 
more  than  what  you  might  very  well  tolerate,  considering  you 
have  your  Mercury  in  worship  under  the  title  of  the  Word  and 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (31) 

Messenger  of  God.  As  to  the  objection  of  our  Jesus  being 
crucified,  I  say  that  suffering  was  common  to  all  the  fore- 
mentioned  sons  of  Jove,  but  only  they  suffered  another  kind 
of  death ;  so  that  Christ  does  not  seem  at  all  inferior  to  them 
upon  the  score  of  the  difference  of  His  suffering,  but  much 
superior  even  in  this  very  respect  of  His  passion,  as  I  shall 
prove  in  the  following  discourse,  or  rather  indeed  have  proved 
already ;  for  the  excellency  of  every  one  is  to  be  judged  of  by 
the  nature  and  end  of  his  actions.  As  to  His  being  born  of 
a  Virgin,  you  have  your  Perseus  to  balance  that;  as  to  His 
curing  the  lame  and  the  paralytic,  and  such  as  were  cripples 
from  their  birth,  this  is  little  more  than  what  you  say  of  your 
^sculapius. 

XXXI.  But  in  order  to  make  it  more  plain  that  whatever 
we  have  declared  from  Christ  and  His  preceding  prophets  is 
true  and  older  than  any  of  your  writers,  and  that  we  desire  to 
be  believed,  not  because  we  deliver  many  the  same  things 
with  them,  but  because  we  deliver  the  truth,  and  nothing  but 
the  truth,  and  that  Jesus  alone  is  properly  the  Son  of  God,  as 
being  the  Logos,  and  First-begotten,  and  Power  of  God,  and 
by  His  counsel  was  made  man,  and  taught  these  doctrines 
for  the  conversion  and  restoration  of  mankind,  before  Whose 
coming  in  our  flesh  these  same  evil  spirits,  by  their  instru- 
ments, the  poets,  dressed  up  fables  to  represent  these  things 
as  already  past  and  over,  on  purpose  to  defeat  the  good 
designs  of  His  coming ;  just  such  another  pack  of  scandalous 
wicked  lies  they  have  at  present  invented  to  render  Christians 
odious,  for  which  they  cannot  produce  one  witness,  nor  any- 
thing like  proof,  as  I  shall  presently  make  appear. 

XXXII.  But  first,  I  cannot  but  take  notice  that  though  we 
hold  some  opinions  like  those  of  the  Greeks,  yet  the  name  of 
Christ  is  the  only  thing  we  are  hated  for,  and  though  never 
so  innocent,  yet  we  are  dragged  to  execution  hke  criminals; 


(32)     The  First  Apology  of  Justiit  Martyr. 

while  others  in  other  places  have  the  liberty  of  worshipping 
trees,  and  rivers,  and  mice,  and  cats,  and  crocodiles,  and 
many  other  such  like  silly  animals;  nor  do  the  same  things 
neither  pass  universally  for  deities,  but  different  countries  have 
different  gods;  insomuch  that  they  charge  each  other  with 
irreligion  for  not  worshipping  the  same  deities ;  and  yet,  for- 
sooth, the  only  thing  you  accuse  us  for  is  for  not  worshipping 
the  same  gods,  for  not  offering  libations,  and  the  nidors  of 
fat,  and  plaited  garlands,  and  victims  to  departed  spirits 
and  you  need  not  be  told  that  the  same  deities  obtain  not 
everywhere,  for  what  serves  some  for  a  god  serves  others  for 
a  sacrifice. 

XXXIII.  I  must  tell  you  in  the  next  place  that  we 
Christians  out  of  all  parts  of  the  world,  who  formerly  were 
worshippers  of  the  sons  of  Semele  and  Latona,  Bacchus  and 
Apollo,  whose  abominable  amours  and  practices  with  men  it 
is  a  shame  to  mention,  and  who  adored  Proserpina  and 
Venus,  a  brace  of  goddesses  whose  mysteries  you  now  cele- 
brate, one  stark,  staring  mad  for  Adonis,  the  other  ravished 
by  Aidoneus  or  Pluto ;  we  who  adored  ^sculapius,  or  any 
of  those  who  pass  among  you  for  gods,  now  through  Jesus 
Christ  have  them  all  in  the  greatest  contempt,  though  at  the 
utmost  peril  of  our  lives  ;  but  dedicate  ourselves  to  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Unbegotten  Impassible  God,  who  never  had,  we 
are  sure,  any  affair  with  Antiope  and  such  like,  nor  anything 
to  do  with  Ganimede,  nor  ever  stood  in  need  of  the  help  of 
the  hundred-handed  giant  which  your  Jove  is  said  to  have 
obtained  at  the  suit  of  Thetis,  nor  ever  solicitous  to  show  his 
gratitude  for  his  deliverance  that  her  son  Achilles  should  have 
ample  satisfaction  for  being  deprived  of  his  harlot  Briseis,  and 
revenge  the  affront  at  the  expense  of  many  of  the  Grecians' 
lives.  We  heartily  pity  those  who  can  believe  such  stuff  about 
the  gods  they  worship,  but  we  know  that  the  wicked  spirits 
are  at  the  bottom  of  all  these  impostures. 


The  First  Apology  of  Jtistiii  Martyr.     (33) 

XXXIV.  Thirdl)^,  it  is  notorious  that  after  Christ's  ascen- 
sion into  heaven,  these  same  accursed  spirits  furnished  out  a 
set  of  men  who  gave  out  themselves  to  be  gods;  and  yet 
were  you  so  far  from  punishing  such  villains  that  you  did  them 
the  greatest  honour.  For  there  is  Simon,  a  certain  Samaritan 
of  the  village  Gitthon,  who  in  Claudius  Caesar's  time,  by  his 
magic  arts  with  the  powers  of  darkness,  did  such  wonderful 
feats  in  the  imperial  city  of  Rome,  that  he  gained  the  reputa- 
tion of  a  god,  and  accordingly  is  honoured  by  you,  like  your 
other  gods,  with  a  statue  erected  upon  the  Tiber  between  the 
two  bridges,  with  this  Latin  inscription,  "  Simoni  Deo  Sancto," 
"To  Simon  the  Holy  God."^     And  the  Samaritans,  almost  in 

^  John  Daille,  in  his  Abuse  of  the  Fathers  (for  that  ought  to  be  the 
title  of  the  book), — instead  of  recommending  the  authority  of  such  men, 
who  lived  so  near  the  apostles  both  in  point  of  time  and  virtue,  instead  of 
insisting  upon  their  general  agreement  in  articles  fundamental,  and  other 
truly  admirable  and  edifying  excellences  in  their  writings, — this  author,  I 
say,  chiefly  pleases  himself  in  picking  holes,  and  exposing  what  he  calls 
faults,  in  the  best  light  for  a  malicious  eye ;  like  an  ill-natured  painter, 
who  draws  a  shade  over  all  the  beauties  of  a  face,  and  mainly  employs  his 
pencil  to  magnify  scars  and  pockholes ;  and  this  passage,  among  others,  he 
has  pitched  upon  for  the  discredit  of  Justin  Martyr.  "  The  good  Father," 
says  he  in  his  fleering  way,  "was  mistaken,  and  instead  of  Semoni  read 
Simoni,  and  for  Sanco,  Sancto ;  whereas  our  learned  critics  now  inform 
us  it  was  only  an  inscription  to  one  of  the  pagan  demi-gods,  *  Semoni  Deo 
Sanco.'  "  The  learned  Dr.  Grabe,  who  is  just  tlie  reverse  of  John  Daille, 
and  employs  his  learning  to  keep  us  upon  the  ancient  bottom,  and  justify 
the  Fathers  from  the  errors  of  transcribers,  yet  even  he  is  of  opinion  that 
our  Justin  was  imposed  upon  in  this  inscription ;  and  Valesius  himself 
concludes  so  likewise ;  and  the  main  grounds  they  go  upon  is,  that  in  the 
last  age  there  was  a  statue  dug  up  with  this  inscription,  "Semoni  Sango 
Deo  Fidio  Sacrum."  If  this  should  be  a  mistake  of  our  Justin,  it  is  no 
great  matter ;  but  it  is  a  mistake  wherein  Irenseus,  TertuUian,  Eusebius, 
Augustin  all  concur.  But  when  I  consider  that  our  Martyr  himself  was 
a  Samaritan,  and  lived  in  the  next  age  ;  that  he  was  a  person  of  great 
learning  and  gravity,  of  a  genius  wonderfully  inquisitive  about  matters 
of  this  nature ;  that  he  was  at  this  time  at  Rome,  where  every  one,  no 
doubt,  could  inform  him  (if  he  had  not  Latin  enough  for  the  inscription) 
what  strange  god  this  was  the  statue  of,  as  easily  as  any  one  about  London 


(34)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Marty  7-. 

general,  though  very  few  of  other  nations,  confess  and  wor- 
ship him  as  the  first  and  principal  god ;  and  a  certain  Helena 
who  strolled  about  with  him  at  that  time,  and  had  been  a 
common  prostitute  in  the  stews,  they  entitle  the  next  intelli- 
gence to  him;  and  one  Menander  likewise,  a  Samaritan,  of 
the  village  Capparetaea,  and  a  disciple  of  Simon,  set  on  work 
by  the  same  demons,  and  residing  at  Antioch,  imposed  upon 
many  by  the  same  magic  arts,  as  we  very  well  know,  and 
wrought  up  his  followers  into  a  persuasion  that  they  should 
never  die ;  ^  and  there  are  some  of  his  sect  who  are  possessed 
with  the  same  frenzy  to  this  day. 

could  tell  now  whose  the  statue  is  at  Charing  Cross  ;  that  he  presented  this 
Apology  to  the  Emperors  and  Senate  of  Rome,  to  whom  he  would  be 
careful  what  he  said,  and  not  in  two  different  places  insist  upon  the  same 
thing,  and  press  for  the  demolishing  of  this  statue,  which,  if  not  the  statue 
of  Simon  Magus,  must  needs  be  resented  as  a  bold  and  notorious  fable, 
and  have  a  very  ill  effect  upon  his  Apology  and  the  Christian  cause;  when 
I  consider  these  things,  I  say,  they  weigh  much  more  with  me  on  the  side 
of  Justin,  and  the  other  Fathers,  than  a  conjecture  merely  grounded  upon  the 
statue  lately  dug  up  does  against  them.  Moreover,  we  learn  from  Baronius 
and  Gruter  that  there  were  other  statues  to  this  Semoni  Sango  in  several 
places  of  Italy,  besides  that  in  the  Tiberine  Island,  and  so  the  Fathers 
could  not  be  easily  mistaken  about  this  pagan  demi-god ;  and  Lactantius 
and  St.  Augustin  expressly  mention  this  Sangus  as  the  god  of  the  Sabines ; 
and  the  Christian  writers  do  likewise  affirm  that  the  statue  of  Simon 
Magus  was  erected  by  public  authority,  whereas  this  to  Sangus  was  of 
private  donation  by  Sextus  Pompeius  ;  the  statue  of  Sangus  was  of  stone, 
that  of  Simon  Magus  of  brass.  So  that  here  we  have  two  statues  of 
different  materials,  and  with  different  inscriptions,  and  yet  they  must  be 
one  and  the  same,  because  the  Fathers  are  to  be  discredited.  Unless, 
therefore,  Daille  and  le  Clerk  can  prove  that  the  Tiberine  Island  could 
not  hold  two  statues,  they  prove  nothing  to  the  purpose ;  but  some  men 
never  think  they  make  a  good  figure  but  when  they  stand  upon  the 
ruins  of  Christian  antiquity.  See  this  matter  fully  cleared  iv  a  book 
called  Defensio  S.  Augustini  adversus  Joan.  Phereponi  Animadversiones, 
p.  176. 

^  A  doctrine  much  perhaps  of  the  same  complexion  with  what   Mr. 

A ill  broached  lately,  though  not,  I  believe,  with  the  same  success  of 

followers. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.      (35) 

XXXV.  There  is  one  Marcion,  also  of  Pontus,  who  at  this 
time  instructs  his  disciples  in  the  doctrine  of  another  god, 
greater  than  the  Creator  of  the  world,  and  who,  by  the  assist- 
ance of  the  evil  spirits,  has  spread  this  poison  so  eflfectually 
about  every  nation  as  to  prevail  upon  many  to  subscribe  to 
the  blasphemy,  and  deny  the  Maker  of  the  universe  to  be 
God,  professing  another  greater  deity,  and  a  creator  of  greater 
worlds ;  and  yet  all  this  sort  of  men  go  by  the  name  ot 
Christians,  as  I  have  already  said ;  just  like  the  philosophers 
who,  though  they  differ  never  so  much  in  principles,  yet  all 
take  upon  them  the  common  title  of  philosopher.  But  whether 
these  heretics  are  really  guilty  of  those  cursed  and  scandalous 
actions,  which  are  industriously  spread  abroad  about  Chris- 
tians, such  as  putting  out  the  candles,  and  promiscuous 
copulations,  and  the  devouring  of  human  flesh,  I  cannot  say ; 
but  this  I  am  sure  of,  that  you  do  not  harass  and  destroy  them 
as  you  do  us  for  these  detestable  doctrines.^      But  I  have 

^  Because  the  reader  will  meet  with  this  horrid  charge  against  Christians 
in  all  these  Apologies,  of  promiscuous  mixtures,  and  devouring  an  infant  at 
their  meetings,  I  think  it  will  not  be  impertinent  in  this  place  to  acquaint 
him  with  the  grounds  of  such  false  and  malicious  accusations.  Origen 
fathers  them  upon  the  Jews,  as  if  they  had  invented  them  on  purpose  to 
bring  Christianity  into  disgrace;  "and  these  lies,"  said  he,  "succeeded  so 
well,  that  even  some  in  his  time  would  not  hold  the  least  conversation  with 
a  Christian  ;  but  though  the  Jews  had  malice  enough  to  invent  anything  to 
the  prejudice  of  Christians,  yet  I  can  hardly  be  persuaded  that  all  this 
was  pure  lie  and  invention  without  any  ground.  We  know  that  in  the 
most  early  times  of  the  gospel  there  were  several  sorts  of  heretics,  such 
as  Simon  Magus,  Menander,  Marcion,  Marcus,  Basilides,  etc.,  who  all 
covered  themselves  over  with  the  gilded  name  of  Christians,  and  yet  were 
all  guilty  of  these  horrid  abominations  charged  upon  Christians  in  general.'* 
Irenaeus,  adv.  Hares,  lib.  i.  c.  i.  p.  28,  and  c.  ix.  p.  70,  reports  that  they 
debauched  in  private  the  woman  which  they  had  perverted  and  brought 
over  to  their  sect  (as  many  with  shame  and  sorrow  acknowledged  upon 
their  return  to  the  Church) ;  and  not  only  so,  but  they  openly  married 
th^  women  they  had  seduced  from  their  husbands,  and  laughed  at  the 
chaste  and  orthodox  Christians  as  a  parcel  of  blockheads,  styling  them- 
selves the  pure,  the  perfect,  and  the  seeds  of  election.     Clemens   Alex- 


(36)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

composed  a  treatise  of  all  these  heresies,  which  I  am  ready  to 
produce  for  your  satisfaction,  if  you  are  ready  to  peruse  it. 

XXXVI.  But  we  who  are  truly  Christians  are  so  far  from 
maintaining  any  unjust  or  ungodly  opinions,  that  exposing  of 
infants,  which  is  so  much  in  practice  among  you,  we  teach  to 
be  a  very  wicked  practice;  first,  because  we  see  that  such 
children,  both  girls  and  boys,  are  generally  all  trained  up  for 
the  service  of  lust ;  for  as  the  ancients  bred  up  these  foundlings 
to  feed  cows,  or  goats,  or  sheep,  or  grass-horses,  so  now-a-days 
such  boys  are  brought  up  only  to  be  abused  against  nature ; 
and  accordingly  you  have  a  herd  of  these  women  and  effeminate 
men,  standing  prostitute  for  sale  in  every  nation ;  and  you 
traffic  with  such  kind  of  cattle,  and  take  toll  and  custom  for 

andrinus,  likewise,  Stro/n,  lib.  iii.  p.  430,  tells  the  same  story  of  the 
Carpocratians  that  Minutius  Felix  does  of  the  Christians,  namely,  that 
both  men  and  women  used  to  meet  at  supper  in  imitation  of  the  love- 
feast,  and  after  they  had  been  well  warmed  with  meat  and  drink,  put  out 
the  candles  and  promiscuously  mixed  with  one  another.  And  Epiphanius 
tells  us  of  the  Gnostics,  HcEres.  xxvi.  p.  42,  that  they  had  their  wives  in 
common,  and  when  a  stranger  of  their  own  sect  came  to  them,  both  men 
and  women  had  a  sign  to  know  one  another  by ;  for  by  stretching  out 
their  hands  by  way  of  salutation,  and  by  tickling  each  other  in  the  ball  of 
their  hand,  they  knew  the  stranger  to  be  of  their  party.  Amongst  their 
brethren,  the  Carpocratians,  they  were  wont  to  mark  their  disciples  and 
proselytes  under  the  right  ear  with  a  slit  or  hole ;  and  this  agrees  with  the 
charge  of  the  heathens,  that  they  knew  one  another  at  first  sight  by  privy 
marks  and  signs,  which  perhaps  is  referred  to  Minutius  Felix.  Besides, 
Epiphanius,  Hceres.  xxvi.  p.  43,  tells  us  that  the  Gnostics  at  their  meetings 
were  wont  to  take  an  infant  begotten  in  their  promiscuous  mixtures,  and 
beating  it  in  a  mortar,  to  season  it  with  honey  and  pepper,  and  some  other 
spices  and  perfumes  to  make  it  palatable,  and  then  like  swine  or  dogs  to 
devour  it,  and  this  they  accounted  their  "  perfect  passover."  Now  this  being 
the  practice  of  these  abominable  heretics,  who  had  the  forehead  to  style 
themselves  Christians,  it  is  no  wonder  if  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  who  were 
greedy  of  any  occasion  to  blacken  the  Christians,  should  load  them  all  in 
general  with  these  detestable  crimes,  either  not  knowing  them  to  be  false, 
or  else  not  willing  to  distinguish  between  Christians  true  or  false. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (37) 

their  wickedness,  when  all  such  monstrous  practices  ought  to 
be  quite  and  clean  rooted  out  of  the  world.  And  besides, 
whoever  has  to  do  with  such  wicked  creatures,  not  only  defiles 
himself  with  a  mixture  repugnant  to  all  the  laws  of  religion 
and  temperance,  but  it  is  a  great  chance  that  the  sinner  does 
not  pollute  himself  with  some  of  his  own  children  or  nearest 
relations.  Some  there  are  who  prostitute  their  own  wives  and 
children,  and  others  are  cut  publicly  for  pathic  obscenity,  and 
their  instruments  made  a  sacrifice  to  the  mother  of  the  gods. 
And  of  all  the  established  deities  among  you,  a  painted  ser- 
pent is  the  greatest  symbol  and  mystery.  And  such  actions 
as  you  commit  in  the  face  of  the  sun,  and  are  creditable  vices 
among  you,  as  if  you  had  not  one  spark  of  divine  light  left, 
those  you  charge  upon  us ;  though  this  charge  will  do  no  harm 
to  us,  who  are  entire  strangers  to  such  sins,  but  to  the  doers 
of  them  only,  and  to  such  as  falsely  lay  them  to  the  charge  of 
Christians.  But  the  ringleader  and  prince  of  evil  spirits  is  by 
us  called  the  serpent,  and  Satan,  and  false  accuser,  as  you 
may  easily  find  from  our  Scriptures,  who  together  with  all  his 
host  of  angels,  and  men  like  himself,  shall  be  thrust  into  fire, 
there  to  be  tormented,  world  without  end,  as  our  Christ  has 
foretold  ;  and  the  reason  why  God  has  not  done  this  already 
is  out  of  mercy  to  such  of  mankind  as  He  foresees  will  repent 
and  be  saved ;  some  of  which  are  now  in  being,  and  others 
as  yet  unborn.  And  from  the  beginning  He  made  mankind 
intelligent  and  free  creatures,  fit  for  the  choice  and  practice  of 
truth  and  goodness,  so  that  every  sinner  should  be  without 
excuse  before  God ;  for  we  are  endued  with  reason,  and  formed 
for  contemplation.  If  any  one,  therefore,  shall  disbeHeve  the 
providence  of  God,  or  shall  deny  His  existence,  notwithstand- 
ing the  evidence  of  His  world,  or  assert  Him  to  be  a  Being 
delighted  with  wickedness,  or  as  unactive  as  a  stone,  and  that 
vice  and  virtue  are  nothing  in  themselves,  and  depend  only 
upon  the  opinions  of  men  ;  this,  I  say,  is  a  consummate  piece 
of  impiety  and   injustice.     x\nd    another   reason  against  ex- 


(t,^)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

posing  infants  is,  that  we  are  afraid  they  should  perish  for 
want  of  being  taken  up,  and  so  bring  us  under  the  guilt  of 
murder. 

XXXVII.  Moreover,  the  Ciid  of  Christians  in  marrying  is 
the  Christian  education  of  their  children,  and  such  as  refuse 
to  marry  contain  themselves  perpetually  within  the  bounds  of 
chastity.  And  to  give  you  a  very  persuasive  and  sensible  argu- 
ment that  promiscuous  copulation  is  not  one  of  the  mysteries  in 
practice  amongst  us,  a  Christian  youth  sent  a  petition  to  Felix, 
the  President  of  Alexandria,  to  give  a  surgeon  leave  to  cut 
him ;  for  without  leave  from  the  president  such  kind  of  opera- 
tions are  interdicted ;  but  when  Felix  would  not  sign  the 
petition,  the  youth  persisting  in  his  resolution,  at  length  satis- 
fied his  conscience  and  those  about  him  who  were  of  his  mind, 
by  performing  the  operation  upon  himself  I  do  not  think 
it  improper  in  this  place  to  put  you  in  mind  of  the  late 
Antinous,  whom  all  were  prevailed  upon  by  fear  to  worship 
as  a  god,  notwithstanding  they  well  knew  what  he  was,  and 
whence  his  original.  But  lest  any  one  should  object  that  we 
can  show  no  reason  why  our  Christ  should  not  be  looked  upon 
as  a  mere  man,  and  His  miracles  the  effects  only  of  magic, 
and  therefore  cried  up  for  the  Son  of  God,  I  shall  enter  upon 
the  proof  of  His  divinity,  not  so  much  trusting  to  the  reports 
of  men  as  the  predictions  of  prophets,  and  necessitated  to 
believe,  because  we  see  things  with  our  own  eyes  already  ful- 
filled according  to  these  predictions,  and  a  fulfilling  on  every 
day ;  and  this,  I  beheve,  you  yourselves  will  grant  to  be  the 
strongest  demonstration  of  the  truth  imaginable. 

XXXVIII.  There  were  of  old,  among  the  Jews,  certain 
prophets  of  God,  by  whom  the  prophetic  spirit  made  procla- 
mation of  things  to  come  long  before  they  were  in  being ; 
these  prophecies,  just  as  they  were  delivered,  were  committed 
to  writing  by  the  prophets  themselves  in  their  own  Hebrew 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (39) 

mother  tongue,  and  the  books  put  into  the  custody  of  the 
kings  of  Judea  then  in  being.  When  Ptolemy,  therefore, 
king  of  Egypt,  was  setting  up  his  library,  and  very  inquisitive 
about  the  most  curious  collection  of  all  sorts  of  books,  being 
informed  of  these  prophetic  writings,  he  despatched  an 
ambassador  to  the  Jewish  high  priest,^  who  was  at  that  time 
invested  with  the  regal  power,  to  request  of  him  a  present  of 
these  prophecies,  and  accordingly  the  royal  high  priest  sent 
them  in  their  original  language ;  but  the  contents  of  these 
books  being  not  intelligible  to  the  Egyptians  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue,  he  sent  a  second  embassy  to  desire  him  to  send  over 
men  to  translate  them  into  Greek ;  and  by  these  means  these 
books  are  in  being  with  Egyptians  to  this  day,  and  this  trans- 
lation is  in  the  hands  almost  of  every  Jew  all  the  world  over ; 
which,  though  they  read,  they  understand  not,  but  blindly 
take  Christians  for  their  enemies,  and  whenever  it  is  in  their 
power  treat  us  as  cruelly  as  you  do,  which  I  doubt  not  but 
you  will  readily  grant  me.  For  in  the  last  Jewish  war, 
Barchochebas,  the  ringleader  of  the  revolting  Jews,  ordered 
the  Christians  only  to  be  dragged  to  the  most  grievous  tor- 
ments unless  they  would  renounce  and  blaspheme  Jesus 
Christ. 


^  Tal  r^Jy  'lotidaici/ii  ron  piwriXiiovri  'Hp^i^fi.  This  is  another  passage 
which  that  "  Orbillius  Patrum,"  John  Daille,  has  chosen  to  expose  what 
he  thinks  to  be  the  nakedness  of  this  Father  ;  for  (says  he)  Justin  Martyr, 
speaking  of  the  translation  of  the  seventy  interpreters,  affirms  that  Ptolemy, 
king  of  Egypt,  sent  his  ambassadors  to  Herod,  king  of  Judaea,  whereas 
the  truth  of  the  story  is,  that  he  sent  to  Eleazar  the  high  priest,  two 
hundred  forty  and  odd  years  before  Herod  came  to  be  king  of  Judaea. 
Dr.  Grabe,  who  makes  it  his  business  to  do  justice  to  the  primitive 
Fathers,  who  deserve  so  well  of  the  Christian  world,  well  knew  that 
his  Justin  was  a  person  too  well  qualified  to  be  guilty  of  so  notorious  an 
oversight  in  point  of  chronology,  and  in  a  matter  so  near  his  own  time, 
has  by  a  happy  conjecture  restored  him  to  himself  by  substituting  lipii 
instead  of 'H/)*j2w,  which,  no  doubt,  was  a  blunder  in  the  transcriber.  Fid. 
notes  upon  this  place. 


(40)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

XXXIX.  Now  in  these  books  of  the  prophets  we  find  it  fore- 
told that  there  was  One  a-coming  into  the  world  Who,  being 
born  of  a  virgin,  and  grown  up  to  man's  estate,  should  cure 
every  disease  and  malady  in  nature,  and  raise  the  dead,  and 
be  treated  with  spite  and  ignominy,  and  at  length  this  Jesus 
our  Christ  should  be  fastened  to  a  cross,  and  die,  and  rise 
again,  and  ascend  up  into  heaven,  and  that  He  was  truly  the 
Son  of  God,  and  should  be  worshipped  under  that  title,  and 
that  He  should  send  out  some  to  preach  these  tidings  to 
every  nation,  and  that  the  Gentiles  should  come  over  to  the 
faith  in  greater  numbers  than  the  Jews ;  and  these  very  pro- 
phecies went  of  Him  before  His  coming,  some  five  thousand, 
some  three,  some  two,  some  one  thousand,  and  some  eight 
hundred  years  only ;  ^  for  in  these  succeeding  generations  there 
was  a  succession  of  some  prophets  or  other. 

XL.  And  the  great  prince  of  prophets,  Moses,  thus  expressly 
signified  :  "  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a 
lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come ;  and  unto 
Him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be ;  binding  His  foal 
unto  the  vine,  and  washing  His  garments  in  the  blood  of 
grapes"  (Gen.  xlix.  10,  11),  It  is  incumbent  therefore  upon 
you  to  make  diligent  inquiry  how  long  the  Jews  had  a  prince 
or  ruler  properly  their  own,  and  you  will  find,  until  the  ap- 
pearance of  Jesus  Christ  our  Master,  the  great  Expositor  of 
these  prophecies,  little  understood  before ;  and  you  will  see  it 
exactly  verified  according  to  what  the  divine,  holy,  and  pro- 
phetic Spirit  foretold  by  Moses,  "  That  a  lawgiver  should  not 
depart  from  Judah,  until  Shiloh  come ; "  for  Judah  was  the 
father  of  the  Jewish  nation,  and  from  whom  they  took  the 
name  of  Jews.  But  after  the  coming  of  Shiloh,  you  your- 
selves reigned  over  the  Jews,  and  reduced  their  whole  kingdom 

1  "  Some  five  thousand,  some  three,"  etc.  The  more  curious  will  find 
the  chronology  of  these  several  periods  adjusted  by  Dr.  Gral^e  in  his  notes 
upon  this  place. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (41) 

into  a  Roman  province ;  that  part  of  the  prophecy  which  says 
"  that  unto  Him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be,"  or  "  that 
He  shall  be  the  expectation  of  the  Gentiles,"  denotes  the 
general  expectation  of  His  second  coming, — a  truth  your  own 
eyes  bear  witness  to,  and  the  thing  proves  itself;  for  you  see 
all  sorts  of  men  big  with  the  hopes  of  His  second  coming  in 
glory,  Who  was  crucified  in  Judaea,  after  which  crucifixion  you 
immediately  became  masters  of  their  whole  country. 

XLI.  Moreover,  "  the  binding  His  foal  unto  the  vine,  and 
washing  His  garments  in  the  blood  of  grapes,"  was  a  significative 
symbol  of  what  Christ  was  to  do  and  suffer ;  for  there  stood 
the  foal  of  an  ass  tied  to  a  vine  at  the  entrance  of  a  certain 
village,  which  He  ordered  His  disciples  to  go  and  bring  Him, 
upon  which  He  got  and  rode  into  Jerusalem,  where  the  stately 
temple  of  the  Jews  then  was,  which  you  since  have  razed  to 
the  ground ;  and  to  fulfil  the  sequel  of  the  prophecy  He  was 
afterwards  crucified.  For  "  washing  His  garments  in  the  blood 
of  grapes  "  prefigured  the  passion  He  was  to  undergo,  purify- 
ing by  His  blood  such  as  should  believe  in  Him ;  for  what, 
by  the  prophet,  the  Divine  Spirit  calls  His  garments  are  the 
faithful,  in  whom  the  Logos,  the  seed  of  God,  dwells.^  "  The 
blood  of  grapes  "  typifies  that  He  Who  was  to  come  should  have 
blood,  but  not  of  human,  but  of  divine  generation ;  and  the 
first  power  next  to  God  the  Father,  and  Lord  of  all,  is  His 
Son  the  Logos ;  but  how  this  Logos  was  incarnated  and  made 

^  To  -Kafu,  Tov  01CV  (TiriffAo.,  h  koyo;.  I  take  the  liberty  to  dissent  from 
Dr.  Grabe  in  this  place,  who  thinks  that  ^rnvf^a  ought  to  be  restored  in 
the  room  of  irors/j^a,  because  of  the  word  oUiT;  but  Christ  is  said  to  dwell  in 
the  faithful  as  well  as  the  Holy  Spirit.  Koiroixija-ai  tov  Xpurrov  ?ia  Ti??  Tiis-Titus 
it  ra,7i  Kapl'iai;  if^av,  "  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith"  (Eph. 
iii.  17),  and  in  many  other  places  to  the  same  purpose.  But,  moreover,  the 
main  design  of  Justin  in  this  prophecy  is  to  establish  the  divine  generation 
of  Christ,  and  therefore  he  emphatically  calls  Him  ra  'ra.fk  rov  emZ  e<ri.ffia, 
"  the  seed  of  God,"  in  opposition  to  atipaiTuov  r^ipfia,  '*  the  seed  of  man," 
which  imraedia!  ely  he  lv>  ice  repeats  in  expounding  the  blood  of  the  grape. 


(42)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

man  shall  be  declared  in  order.  But  as  man  had  no  hand 
in  making  the  blood  of  the  grape,  but  God  only,  so  this  is 
an  emblem  that  the  blood  of  the  Logos  was  of  no  human 
extraction,  but  descended  from  the  power  of  the  Most  High, 
as  I  have  already  declared. 

XLII.  Isaiah,  another  prophet,  foretells  the  same  things, 
but  in  other  words  :  "  There  shall  come  a  Star  out  of  Jacob, 
and  a  Rod  shall  come  forth  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse,  and  to 
it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek  "  (Isa.  xi.  i,  10).^  Now  this  shining 
Star  out  of  Jacob,  and  this  Rod  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse,  is 
Christ ;  for  He  was  conceived  by  the  power  of  God,  and  born 
of  a  virgin  of  the  seed  of  Jacob,  the  father  of  Judah,  from 
whence  arose  the  Jewish  nation ;  and  Jesse,  according  to  his 
oracle,  was  reckoned  among  His  ancestors,  but  He  was  the  son 
of  Jacob  and  Judah  in  a  lineal  succession. 

XLHI.  Again,  concerning  His  being  to  be  born  of  a  virgin, 
hear  the  express  words  of  the  same  prophet  Isaiah,  and  they 
are  these  :  "  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  Son, 
and  shall  call  His  name  Immanuel,"  that  is,  "  God  with  us  " 
(Isa.  vii.  14).  For  such  things  as  were  incredible  and  impossible 
to  be,  in  the  opinions  of  men,  God  by  the  prophetic  Spirit 
foretold  should  be ;  that  when  they  found  such  things  in 
being,  the  very  predictions  should  make  it  hardly  possible  to 
disbelieve  them.  But  that  such  as  understand  not  the  pro- 
phecy before  us,  may  not  turn  to  the  objections  upon  us  which 
we  charge  upon  the  poets,  and  father  this  conception  upon  a 
lustful  Jove,  I  shall  endeavour  to  set  the  words  in  a  clearer 
light.  This  expression,  therefore,  "Behold,  a  virgin  shall  con- 
ceive," manifestly  declares  that  a  virgin  shall  conceive  without 
any  carnal  concurrence,  for  upon  that  she  must  cease  to  be 
a  virgin ;  but  the  power  of  God  coming  down  upon  the  virgin 

'  'Av»T£Xir  affrpov  £|  "laKufi.  See  Dr.  Grabe's  conjecture  upon  this 
prophecy. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (43) 

overshadowed  her,  and  made  her  conceive  in  the  pure  state 
of  virginity;  and  the  angel  of  God  which  was  sent  to  her, 
delivered  his  embassy  in  these  words  :  "  Behold,  thou  shalt 
conceive  in  thy  womb  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  bring  forth  a 
Son,  and  He  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  the  Highest,  and  thou 
shalt  call  His  name  Jesus,  for  He  shall  save  His  people  from 
their  sins "  (Luke  i.  31,  35;  Matt.  i.  21),  as  the  evangelists 
have  taught  us,  whom  we  believe,  and  the  rather  because  the 
prophetic  Spirit  by  the  sam.e  Isaiah  has  foretold  He  should  be 
born,  just  as  we  have  now  declared.  By  the  "  Spirit  and  power 
of  God,"  we  ought  to  understand  the  very  Logos,  who,  accord- 
ing to  the  aforesaid  prophet  Isaiah,  is  the  "first-begotten  of 
God."  ^  This  Spirit  coming  down  and  overshadowing  the  virgin, 
did  impregnate  her,  not  in  a  carnal  way,  but  by  a  power 
divine.  Jesus  is  an  Hebrew  word,  and  in  Greek  o-toT^p,  that 
is,  Saviour,  in  allusion  to  which  the  angel  delivered  himself 
thus  to  the  virgin,  "  And  thou  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus,  for 
He  shall  save  His  people  from  their  sins." 

XLIV.  That  the  prophets  were  inspired  by  nothing  but  the 
divine  Wisdom  or  Logos,  Who  could  foresee  things  at  such  a 
distance,  is  what  I  believe  you  yourselves  will  grant  me ;  but 
where  this  Logos  was  to  be  born,  hear  what  Micah,  another 
prophet,  says,  and  thus  it  stands :  "  And  thou,  Bethlehem, 
in  the  land  of  Judah,  art  not  the  least  among  the  princes  of 
Judah ;  for  out  of  thee  shall  come  a  Governor  That  shall  rule 
My  people  Israel."  ^  Now  this  Bethlehem,  where  Christ  Jesus 
was  born,  is  a  certain  village  in  Judaea,  about  thirty-five  fur- 
longs from  Jerusalem,  as  you  may  see  in  the  censual  tables  of 
Cyrenius,  the  first  Prefect  of  Judsa ;  ^  and  how  Christ  after 

^  See  Dr.  Grabe's  conjecture  about  the  corruption  of  this  place. 

^  Mic.  V.  2,  as  it  is  cited  by  St.  Matt.  ii.  6. 

^  "EviTfovtiu.  For  the  understanding  of  this  word  Dr.  Grabe  refers  to 
Grotius  in  c.  ii.  Luc.  And  whoever  desires  to  see  more  may  consult  Vales. 
upon  Euseb.  Hist.  lib.  i.  c.  v.,  and  Montac.  Apparat.  iv.  p.  156,  etc. 


(44)     The  First  Apology  of  Jttstin  Martyr. 

He  was  born  lived  in  obscurity,  and  how  this  obscurity  of  h'fe 
was  foretold  likewise,  we  have  our  prophets  to  show,  for  thus 
they  speak ; ^ 

XLV.  "  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  and  a  young  Man  given, 
and  the  government  shall  be  upon  His  shoulders  "  (Isa.  ix.  6). 
Now  this  was  a  prophetic  description  of  the  power  of  the 
Cross,  to  which  He  applied  His  shoulders  at  His  crucifixion, 
as  I  shall  manifest  in  the  progress  of  this  discourse.  And 
again,  the  same  Isaiah,  as  he  was  moved  by  the  prophetic 
Spirit,  says,  "  I  have  spread  out  My  hands  to  a  rebelhous  gain- 
saying people,  which  walketh  in  a  way  that  is  not  good  "  (Isa. 
Ixv.  2),  "They  ask  of  me  the  ordinance  of  justice ;  they  take 
delight  in  approaching  to  God  "  (Isa.  Iviii.  2).  And  by  another 
prophet,  in  other  words,  He  spake  thus  ;  "  They  pierced  My 
hands  and  My  feet,  and  upon  My  vesture  did  they  cast  lots  " 
(Ps.  xxii.  16,  18).  But  David,  both  a  king  and  a  prophet,  who 
spake  this,  suffered  nothing  like  it ;  but  the  hands  of  Jesus 
Christ  were  pierced  and  extended  upon  a  Cross,  while  the  Jews 
reviled  and  denied  Him  to  be  the  Christ.  For,  according  to 
the  prophet,  they  led  Him  to  the  judgment-seat,  and  flouted 
Him,  saying  :  "  Thy  judgment  be  upon  us."  ^  "  They  pierced 
His  hands  and  feet "  refers  to  the  nails  that  fastened  them  to 
the  cross ;  and  when  they  had  crucified  Him,  the  crucifiers 
"parted  His  garments,  and  upon  His  vesture  did  they  cast  lots;" 
and  for  the  truth  of  this  you  may  satisfy  yourselves  from  the 
acts  of  Pontius  Pilate ;  and  how  literally  it  was  prophesied 
that  He  should  make  His  entrance  into  Jerusalem  upon  the 
foal  of  an  ass,  I  shall  lay  before  you  in  the  words  of  the  prophet 
Zechariah  :  ^  «  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  O 

^  Here  is  a  deficiency,  and  of  what,  consult  Dr.  Grabe. 

^  Matt,  xxvii.  Here  you  have  not  the  very  words,  but  the  sense  only, 
as  Justin  often  does  cite  in  this  manner. 

^  Ifjv  'S.o(poviov.  Here  is  another  terrible  oversight  charged  upon  our 
Mart}'r   by  John   Daille,   namely,  that  he   quotes   this  prophecy   out   of 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (45) 

daughter  of  Jerusalem  :  behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee, 
meek,  and  sitting  upon  an  ass,  and  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass."  ^ 

XLVI.  But  when  you  hear  the  prophets  speaking,  as  it 
were,  under  the  names  of  different  persons,  you  must  not  look 
upon  the  men  who  speak  so  much  as  upon  the  divine  Logos 
who  inspires  them ;  for  sometimes  He  personates  a  prophet, 
sometimes  He  speaks  in  the  person  of  God,  the  Lord  and 
Parent  of  the  universe,  sometimes  in  the  person  of  Christ, 
sometimes  under  the  representation  of  the  people  in  confer- 
ence with  the  Lord  or  His  Father ;  and  there  is  nothing  more 
familiar  than  this  way  of  introducing  several  persons  speaking, 
though  the  whole  was  composed  by  one,  even  among  your 
own  writers.  Now  the  Jews,  not  animadverting  to  this  manner 
of  personating  in  the  prophetic  writings  which  they  had  in 
keeping,  overlooked  Christ,  even  before  their  eyes,  and  mortally 
hate  us  who  affirm  Him  already  come,  and  to  have  been 
crucified,  and  prove  it  demonstrably  to  have  come  to  pass 
•according  to  the  prophets'  predictions. 

XLVn.  A  plain  example  of  which,  you  have  in  the  words  of 
Isaiah  the  prophet  just  now  mentioned,  delivered  in  the  person 
of  God  the  Father  :  "  The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass 
his  master's  crib  :  but  Israel  doth  not  know.  My  people  doth 
not  consider.  Ah,  sinful  nation,  a  people  laden  with  iniquity, 
a  seed  of  evil-doers,  wicked  children,  ye  have  forsaken  the 
Lord  "  (Isa.  i.  3,  4).  And  again,  elsewhere,  the  prophet  speaks 
in  the  person  of  the  Father  :  "  What  is  the  house  ye  build 
unto  Me  ?  saith  the  Lord ;  the  heaven  is  My  throne,  and  the 

Zephaniah,  which  is  only  to  be  found  in  the  prophet  Zechariah ;  but  had 
this  censor  been  as  good  at  mending  as  he  is  at  making  holes,  he  might 
have  found  this  very  prophecy  cited  by  Justin  from  out  of  Zechariah  ;  for 
thus  he  speaks:  •rp^Kp-.^Tiv^n  ?5  iW  Za^aplou  Ivoj  tuv  ^uiiKo.,  —  oilras  — 
;^«/7i  ai^olfot.  Svyu.Tif  Ziaii,  etc.  Dial,  aim  Tryph.  p.  273. 
^  Zech.  ix.  9,  according  as  they  are  cited  by  Matt.  xxi.  5. 

o 


(46)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

earth  is  My  footstool"  (Isa.  Ixvi.  i).  And  again,  elsewhere: 
"  Your  new  moons  and  Sabbaths  My  soul  hateth ;  your  great 
day  of  fasting  and  resting  I  cannot  away  with  ;  when  you  come 
to  appear  before  Me,  I  will  not  hear  you ;  your  hands  are  full 
of  blood,  bring  no  more  vain  oblations ;  incense  is  an  abomi- 
nation unto  Me ;  I  am  full  of  the  fat  of  lambs,  and  the  blood 
of  goats ;  who  has  required  these  at  your  hands?"  (Isa.  i. 
11-15).  "But  loose  the  bands  of  wickedness,  and  undo 
the  heavy  burdens ;  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast  out  of  thy 
house,  and  cover  the  naked,  and  deal  thy  bread  to  the 
hungry  "  (Isa.  Iviii.  6,  7).  And  what  these  commands  of  God 
by  His  prophets  were  you  may  understand  by  these  examples. 

XLVIII.  When  the  prophetic  Spirit  speaks  in  the  person  of 
Christ,  He  speaks  in  this  wise  :  "  I  have  spread  out  My  hands 
to  an  incredulous  and  gainsaying  people,  which  walketh  in  a 
way  that  is  not  good  "  (Isa.  Ixv.  2).  And  again  :  "  I  gave  My 
back  to  the  smiters,  and  My  cheeks  to  them  that  struck  them ; 
I  hid  not  My  face  from  shame  and  spitting.  For  the  Lord 
God  will  help  Me,  therefore  shall  I  not  be  confounded  ;  there- 
fore have  I  set  My  face  like  a  flint,  and  I  know  that  I  shall 
not  be  ashamed.  He  is  near  that  justifieth  Me"  (Isa.  1.  6,  7,  8). 
And  again  :  "  They  parted  My  garments  among  them,  and  cast 
lots  upon  My  vesture ;  they  pierced  My  hands  and  My  feet " 
(Ps.  xxii.  16,  18).  "  I  laid  Me  down  and  slept,  and  rose  again, 
for  the  Lord  raised  Me"  (Ps.  iii.  5).  And  again  :  "  They  shoot 
out  the  lip,  and  shake  the  head,  saying.  Let  the  Lord  deliver 
him "  (Ps.  xxii.  8,  9).  All  which  you  may  plainly  see  was 
fulfilled  in  Christ  by  the  Jews ;  for  while  He  was  crucifying 
they  distorted  their  lips,  and  wagging  their  heads,  said,  "  He 
that  raised  the  dead,  let  Him  save  Himself"  (Matt,  xxvii.  39). 

XLIX.  When  the  prophetic  Spirit  personates  a  prophet  in 
foretelling  things  to  come,  He  speaks  thus  :  "  Out  of  Sion  shall 
go  forth  a  law,  and  the  Word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem, 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (47) 

and  He  shall  judge  among  the  nations,  and  shall  rebuke  many 
people,  and  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares, 
and  their  spears  into  pruning-hooks ;  nation  shall  not  lift  up 
sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more  " 
(Isa.  ii.  3,  4).  And  that  this  scripture  was  thus  fulfilled  you 
have  good  grounds  to  believe ;  for  there  went  out  of  Jerusalem 
into  the  world  men  in  number  but  twelve,  and  those,  too,  men 
of  no  learning  and  of  as  little  eloquence;  but  they  went  forth 
in  the  power  of  God,  and  published  to  every  nation  that  they 
were  sent  to  instruct  them  in  the  word  of  God,  and  sent  by 
Christ.  And  this  has  had  so  good  an  effect  that  we,  who 
heretofore  were  continually  devouring  each  other,  will  not  now 
so  much  as  lift  up  our  hand  against  our  enemies,  nor  tell  an 
untruth  to  escape  those  that  are  hunting  after  our  blood,  but 
cheerfully  confess  Christ,  and  as  cheerfully  go  to  execution  for 
so  doing,  though  we  might  easily  come  off  by  the  help  of  that 
mental  reservation  in  your  poet,  "  My  tongue  has  sworn,  but 
my  mind  has  not."  ^  But  now  if  the  soldiers  you  list,  and  who 
article  with  you  to  be  true,  can  prefer  their  plighted  troth 
before  all  the  endearments  of  life,  parents,  country,  and  every 
relation, — if  they  can  stake  their  all  upon  their  allegiance  to 
you,  who  can  reward  them  with  nothing  incorruptible, — how 
ridiculous  would  it  be  in  Christians,  we  whose  souls  are  set 
upon  nothing  but  the  joys  of  immortality,  not  to  charge 
through  every  affliction  for  the  prize  we  so  passionately  desire, 
and  which  we  are  sure  to  be  crowned  with  by  Him  who  is  able 
to  give ! 

L.  Hear  also  in  what  manner  the  prophetic  Spirit  delivers 
Himself,  by  the  mouth  of  him  who  was  both  prophet  and 
king,  concerning  the  preachers  of  the  gospel  and  the  pub- 
lishers of  Christ's  coming  into  the  world  :  "  Day  unto  day 
uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge. 
There  is  no  speech  nor  language  where  their  voice  is  not 
1  Eurip.  Hip. 


(48)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

heard ;  their  sound  is  gone  out  through  all  the  earth ;  and  their 
words  to  the  end  of  the  world.  In  them  hath  He  set  a  tabernacle 
for  the  sun,  which  is  as  a  bridegroom  coming  out  of  his  chamber, 
and  rejoiceth  as  a  giant  to  run  his  course"  (Ps.  xix.  2-5). 

LI.  Should  I  add  more  of  David's  prophecies  to  these  I 
have  already  produced,  I  am  of  opinion  it  might  be  both  per- 
tinent and  useful ;  for  from  hence  you  might  take  a  survey  of 
that  kind  of  life  which  the  prophetic  Spirit  exhorts  men  to,  and 
you  might  see  Herod  the  king  of  the  Jews,  and  the  Jews 
themselves,  and  Pilate  your  procurator  of  Jud»a,  and  his 
soldiers,  all  conspiring  against  Christ ;  and  how  it  was  foretold 
that,  in  spite  of  all  this  opposition,  every  nation  should  come 
at  length  to  believe  in  Him.  And  here  likewise  you  may  see 
how  God  calls  Him  His  Son,  and  promises  to  subdue  all  His 
enemies  unto  Him,  and  how  the  devils  should  labour  with  all 
their  might  to  hide  themselves  from  the  power  of  God,  the 
Parent  and  Lord  of  all  things,  and  from  the  power  of  His 
Christ ;  and  lastly,  how  God  should  invite  all  men  to  repent 
before  the  coming  of  the  day  of  judgment.  The  words  of 
prophecy  are  these  :  "Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in 
the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners, 
nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful.  But  his  delight  is  in 
the  law  of  the  Lord ;  and  in  His  law  doth  He  meditate  day 
and  night.  And  he  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers 
of  water,  that  bringeth  forth  fruit  in  his  season ;  his  leaf  shall 
not  wither;  and  whatsoever  he  doeth  shall  prosper.  The 
ungodly  are  not  so  :  but  are  like  the  chaff  which  the  wind 
driveth  away.  Therefore  the  ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the 
judgment,  nor  sinners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous. 
For  the  Lord  knoweth  the  way  of  the  righteous :  but  the  way 
of  the  ungodly  shall  perish.  Why  do  the  heathen  rage,  and 
the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing?  The  kings  of  the  earth 
stood  up,  and  the  rulers  took  counsel  together,  against  the 
Lord,  and   against   His   Christ :    Let   us   break   their   bonds 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     {49) 

asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords  from  us.  He  that  sitteth 
in  the  heavens  shall  laugh :  the  Lord  shall  have  them  in 
derision.  Then  shall  He  speak  unto  them  in  His  wrath,  and 
vex  them  in  His  sore  displeasure.  Yet  have  I  set  my  King 
upon  my  holy  hill  of  Sion.  I  will  declare  the  decree :  the 
Lord  hath  said  unto  me.  Thou  art  my  Son ;  this  day  have  I 
begotten  Thee.  Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give  Thee  the  heathen 
for  Thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for 
Thy  possession.  Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron ; 
Thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel.  Be  wise 
now  therefore,  O  ye  kings  :  be  instructed,  ye  judges  of  the 
earth.  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling. 
Obey  His  doctrine,  lest  the  Lord  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from 
the  right  way,  when  His  wrath  shall  be  kindled  on  a  sudden. 
Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  Him."  ^ 

LH.  And  again,  in  another  prophecy,  which  the  prophetic 
Spirit  delivered  by  the  same  David  concerning  Christ's  king- 
dom, which  was  to  commence  just  after  His  crucifixion.  He 
speaks  in  this  wise  ;  "  Sing  unto  the  Lord  all  the  whole  earth, 
and  be  telling  of  His  salvation  from  day  to  day.  For  the  Lord 
is  great,  and  cannot  worthily  be  praised  :  He  is  more  to  be 
feared  than  all  gods,  for  all  the  gods  of  the  heathen  are  but 
the  idols  of  devils ;  but  it  is  the  Lord  that  made  the  heavens. 
Glory  and  worship  are  before  Him,  power  and  honour  are  in 
His  sanctuary.  Ascribe  unto  the  Lord,  the  Father  everlasting, 
worship  and  power ;  bring  presents,  and  come  into  His  courts. 
Let  the  whole  earth  stand  in  awe  of  Him,  and  be  made  so  fast 
in  His  worship  that  it  cannot  be  moved.  Let  them  rejoice 
among  the  nations,  for  the  Lord  reigneth  from  the  tree  "  ^  (Ps. 
xcvi.  i-ii). 

^  Ps.  i.  and  ii. 

-  Vid.  Dial,  cum  Tryph.  p.  298.  And  in  allusion  to  the  Cross  are  those 
words  in  the  Book  of  Wisdom,  "Blessed  is  the  Word  whereby  righteous- 
ness Cometh"  (Wisd.  xiv.  7). 


(50)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

LIII.  But  because  the  prophetic  Spirit  speaks  of  futurities 
and  things  past,  and  lest  this  should  prove  any  offence  in  the 
reader's  way,  I  shall  clear  it  a  little  more  particularly.  I  say, 
then,  that  what  the  Spirit  knows  must  certainly  come  to  pass 
He  declares  as  already  fulfilled;  and  that  we  are  thus  to 
understand  His  words  will  be  very  evident,  if  you  reflect  a 
little  upon  the  passages  I  have  quoted;  for  David,  about  iioo 
years  ^  before  the  crucifixion  of  Christ  in  our  flesh,  gave  out  the 
prophecies  aforesaid,  and  not  one,  either  of  his  predecessors  or 
successors,  were  ever  crucified,  or  brought  such  glad  tidings  to 
the  Gentile  world.  But  our  Jesus  Christ,  after  His  crucifixion 
and  death,  rose  again  and  ascended  into  heaven  and  entered 
upon  His  kingdom  ;  and  what  He  proclaimed  to  all  nations  by 
His  apostles  spreads  a  universal  joy  upon  the  hearts  of  such 
as  are  in  expectation  of  that  immortality  which  is  brought  to 
light  by  His  gospel. 

LIV.  But  lest  any  should  collect  from  what  has  been  said 
that  we  are  assertors  of  fatal  necessity,  and  conclude  that  pro- 
phecy must  needs  infer  predestination,^  we  shall  clear  ourselves 
as  to  this  point  also.     For  we  learn  from  these  very  prophets 

^  Aa;8iS  iTiai  x'^'<"s  *«'  -^^fraK/xrliis.  Here  again  Dr.  Grabe  has  wiped 
off  a  sad  blemish,  which  the  aforesaid  John  Daille  would  fix  upon  Justin  in 
point  of  chronology,  and  has  plainly  proved  it  to  be  an  error  in  the  scribe. 
See  the  notes  upon  this  passage. 

2  That  the  pagans  were  very  much  inclined  to  infer,  with  the  Stoics,  a 
fatal  necessity  from  the  prediction  of  things  to  come,  is  evident  from  what 
Origen  replies  to  Celsus  upon  this  subject.  Orig.  contra  Cels.  lib.  ii.  p.  72. 
I  know  tliat  our  Martyr  is  thought  hardly  of  for  magnifying  the  power  of 
man's  will,  but  this  is  notoriously  evident  to  have  been  the  current  doctrine 
of  the  Fathers,  through  all  the  first  ages  till  the  rise  of  the  Pelagian  con- 
troversy, though  they  all  acknowledged  ;t;a/i/v  l^ecipivov  a  mighty  assistance 
of  divine  grace  to  raise  up  the  soul  for  divine  and  spiritual  things.  And 
Justin  tells  his  adversary,  that  it  is  vain  for  man  to  think  of  rightly 
understanding  the  prophets  unless  he  be  assisted  //.ira,  fiiyaXm  x^/"'^"'  '■^* 
-rapa  Biov,  "by  a  mighty  grace  derived  from  God,"  Dza/.  aim  Tt^ph. 
P-  319. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (51) 

that  rewards  and  punishments  are  to  be  distributed  in  propor- 
tion to  the  merits  of  mankind,  and  it  is  a  truth  we  ourselves 
profess.  For  if  it  be  not  so,  but  all  things  are  determined 
by  fate,  then  farewell  freedom  of  will;  and  if  this  man  is 
destined  to  be  good,  and  that  evil,  then  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other  can  be  justly  approved  or  condemned ;  so  that  unless  we 
suppose  that  mankind  has  it  in  his  power  to  choose  the  good 
and  refuse  the  evil,  no  one  can  be  accountable  for  any  action 
whatever.  But  to  prove  that  men  are  good  or  evil  by  choice, 
I  argue  in  this  manner.  We  see  in  the  same  person  a  transi- 
tion to  quite  contrary  actions ;  but,  now,  was  he  necessitated 
either  to  be  good  or  bad  he  would  not  be  capable  of  this 
contrariety,  nor  so  often  vary  from  one  to  the  other ;  besides, 
there  would  not  be  this  diversity  of  virtuous  and  vicious  in  the 
world;  for  either  we  must  say  with  you  that  destiny  is  the 
cause  of  evil, — and  then  destiny  would  act  contradictorily  to 
herself  in  being  the  cause  of  good, — or  else  T  must  say,  what  I 
have  said  already,  that  you  conclude  virtue  and  vice  to  be  in 
themselves  nothing,  but  to  receive  their  estimate  of  good  or 
bad  from  the  opinions  of  men  only,  which,  according  to  right 
reason,  is  a  consummate  piece  of  impiety  and  injustice. 

LV.  But  this,  I  will  tell  you,  is  destiny,  inevitable  destiny, 
that  those  who  choose  to  walk  in  the  paths  of  virtue  shall  meet 
with  proportionate  returns  of  honour,  and  those  who  prefer  the 
contrary  course  shall  be  punished  accordingly;  for  God  has 
not  made  man  like  trees  or  beasts,  without  the  power  of 
election ;  for  he  that  has  no  hand  in  making  himself  good  or 
bad,  but  is  born  so  ready  made,  is  no  proper  subject  for  the 
distributions  of  justice;  for  neither  the  good  nor  the  evil  are 
such  by  themselves,  but  only  as  they  are  framed  by  the  hand 
of  destiny. 

LVI.  Moreover,  the  Holy  prophetic  Spirit  has  instructed  us 
in  the  doctrine  of  free-will  by  Moses,  who  introduces  God, 


(52)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

speaking  to  the  new-made  man  in  this  manner :  "  Behold, 
good  and  evil  is  before  you;  choose  the  good."^  And  again, 
by  another  prophet,  Isaiah,  He  speaks  to  the  same  effect  in 
the  person  of  God,  the  Father  and  Lord  of  the  universe : 
"  Wash  ye,  make  you  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings, 
learn  to  do  well,  judge  the  fatherless,  and  plead  for  the 
widow.  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the 
Lord  :  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as 
snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool. 
If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the  good  of  the 
land :  But  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel,  the  sword  shall  feed  upon 
you:  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it"  (Isa.  i.  16-20). 
And  whereas  it  is  said  that  the  "  sword  shall  feed  upon  you," 
and  not  that  the  disobedient  shall  be  cut  off  by  swords,  I  must 
tell  you,  by  the  by,  that  the  "  sword  of  God "  is  fire,  which 
shall  prey  upon  those  who  have  made  wickedness  their  choice, 
and  therefore  He  says,  "  The  sword  shall  feed  upon  you ;  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."  Whereas  had  He  spoken 
of  a  common  sword  which  cuts  off,  and  despatches  in  a 
moment.  He  would  not  have  used  the  word  "feeding  upon," 
which  intimates  a  gradual  destruction. 

LVII.  When  Plato  therefore  said  "  that  the  blame  lies  at 
his  door  who  wills  the  sin,  but  God  wills  no  evil,"^  he  borrowed 
the  saymg  from  Moses ;  for  Moses  is  older  than  any  of  your 
Greek  writers;^  and  as  to  all  their  notions  about  the  immortality 
of  the  soul,  and  punishments  after  death,  and  their  divine 
theories,  and  such-like  doctrines,  the  philosophers  and  poets 
plainly  took  their  hints  from  the  prophets,  which  they  con- 
sulted and  built  upon,  and  by  this  means  the  seeds  of  truth 

^  Deut.  XXX.  15,  19.     See  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  this. 

-  Plat,  de  Repub.  lib.  x.  p.  617,  edit.  Henr.  Stephani. 

■^  At  the  easiest  computation,  between  Moses  and  Homer  there  are  above 
600  years ;  nay,  Cadmus,  the  first  inventor  of  letters  among  the  Grecians, 
was  some  aj^es  junior  to  Moses. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (53) 

seem  to  be  scattered  about  the  world ;  but  it  is  evident  they 
understood  them  not  as  they  should  do,  from  the  manifold 
contradictions  amongst  them. 

LVIII.  By  maintaining,  therefore,  that  future  events  have 
been  foretold  by  the  prophets,  we  do  not  maintain  that  the 
things  foretold  came  to  pass  by  any  fatal  necessity,  but  from 
that  divine  prescience  which  foresees  all  the  actions  of  men, 
without  necessitating  them  to  act.  And  since  a  just  retri- 
bution of  rewards  and  punishments  is  a  current  opinion  in  the 
world,  God  has  been  pleased  to  second  this  notion  by  the 
prophetic  Spirit,  the  more  to  awaken  mankind  and  to  print  a 
future  judgment  perpetually  upon  their  minds,  and  withal  to 
show  that  His  providence  is  concerned  about  us,  and  observes 
all  our  actions. 

LIX.  But  it  was  brought  about  by  devil-craft  to  be  made  a 
capital  crime  to  read  the  books  of  Hystaspes  Sibylla,^  and  the 

^  The  great  objection  against  the  Sibylline  oracles,  etc.,  is,  that  they  so 
plainly  and  expressly  foretell  Christ  to  the  heathen  world ;  as  plainly,  if  not 
more  than  the  prophets  did  to  the  Jews  ;  but  was  not  Christ  as  manifestly 
foretold  by  Balaam,  the  Aramitic  sorcerer,  as  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  ?  Did 
not  Job,  who  was  not  of  Israel,  speak  of  the  great  article  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ?  (xix.  25).  Did  not  Daniel  in  his  captivity  communicate  his  pro- 
phecies to  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews  ?  And  was  not  a  prophet  sent 
to  Jeroboam,  an  Israelite  indeed  by  birth,  but  a  pagan  in  religion  ?  All 
which  plainly  prove  that  God  never  delivered  Himself  more  plainly  by  His 
prophets  than  when  He  transacted  with  Gentiles,  and  not  with  Jews. 
And  this  likewise  proves  what  Clemens  Alexandrinus  tells  us  in  Stro.  c.  vi. 
p.  270,  that  as  God  raised  up  prophets  among  the  Jews  to  bring  them  to 
salvation,  "  Sic  et  selectissimum  quemque  e  Paganis  servare  voluisse, 
prophetas  ipsis  proprios,  propria  ipsorum  dialecto  excitando  ;  "  and  to  these 
Sibyls,  Justin,  Clemens,  Origen,  Eusebius,  Lactantius,  send  the  heathen 
for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  laid  so  great  a  stress  upon  them,  that  they 
were  called  Sibyllists.  But  now,  had  all  these  books  of  the  Sibyls  been 
Christian  forgeries  (not  to  mention  the  baseness  of  such  pious  frauds 
abominated  by  the  first  Christians),  they  would  never  have  been  so  sillily 
impudent  as  to  have  appealed  to  them  before  the  emperors,  and  to  the 


(54)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

prophets,  upon  a  presumption  that  men  would  not  venture  upon 
such  books  for  better  information  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  but 
rather  sit  down  contented  slaves  to  the  powers  of  darkness. 
But  the  devils  missed  their  aim,  for  we  are  not  only  afraid  to 
read  these  scriptures,  but,  as  you  see,  frankly  offer  them  to 
your  perusal,  presuming  they  may  be  well  accepted  by  all ;  but 
if  we  gain  a  few  only,  we  shall  be  great  gainers,  for  God  will 
look  upon  us  as  good  husbandmen,  who  have  done  our  best, 
and  will  reward  us  accordingly. 

LX.  But  to  return  from  this  digression  to  the  prophecies 

whole  world.  And  Origen  would  never  have  challenged  Celsus,  or  any  of 
the  heathens,  to  give  a  considerable  instance  where  these  books  v;ere  inter- 
polated by  Christians,  which,  no  doubt,  they  would  have  triumphantly 
produced,  had  they  anjr  such  interpolations  to  produce,  Orig.  contr.  Cels. 
lib.  i.  Moreover,  it  is  certahi  that  in  Cicero's  time  the  Sibylline  pro- 
phecies were  interpreted  by  some  in  favour  of  Caesar,  as  predicting  a 
monarchy,  Cic.  Div.  1.  ii.,  "  Eum,  quem  revera  regem,"  etc.  "That  if  we 
would  be  safe,  we  should  acknowledge  him  for  a  king  who  really  was  so." 
Which  interpretation  Cicero  after  Caesar's  death  was  so  much  offended 
with,  that  he  quarrelled  with  the  oracles  and  the  interpreters,  "Quamobrem 
Sibyllam  quidem  sepositam,"  etc.  "  Wherefore  let  us  shut  up  the  Sibyl,  and 
keep  her  close ;  that  according  to  the  decree  of  our  ancestors,  her  verses 
may  not  be  read  without  the  express  command  of  the  Senate."  And  then 
adds,  "  Cum  Antistitibus,"  etc.  "  Let  us  also  deal  with  the  Quindecimviri 
and  the  interpreters  of  these  Sibylline  books,  that  they  would  rather  pro- 
duce anything  out  of  them  than  a  king."  And  that  in  the  Eclogue  of 
Virgil,  "Ultima  Cumaei  venit,"  etc.,  written  about  the  beginning  of 
Herod  the  Great,  and  flatteringly  applied  to  PoUio's  son  Saloninus,  speaks 
of  such  a  golden  age  and  renovation  of  all  things,  as  cannot  be  fulfilled  in 
the  reign  of  any  earthly  king,  and  in  a  strain  prophetic.  The  same  year 
that  Pompey  took  Jerusalem,  one  of  the  Sibyl  oracles  made  a  mighty 
noise,  viz.,  "  That  Nature  was  about  to  bring  forth  a  king  to  the  Romans." 
And  Suetonius,  in  his  Life  of  Aiigustus,  says,  "  That  this  so  terrified  the 
Senate  that  they  made  a  decree  that  none  born  that  year  should  be  educated, 
and  that  those  whose  wives  were  with  child  applied  the  prophecy  to  them- 
selves." And  Appian,  Plutarch,  Sallust,  and  Cicero  all  say  that  it  was  this 
prophecy  of  the  Sibyls  which  stirred  up  Cornelius  Lentulus  at  that  time, 
he  hoping  that  he  was  the  man  designed  for  this  king  of  the  Romans. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (55) 

concerning  Christ,  it  was  prophesied,  that  after  His  resurrection 
God  the  Father  of  all  things  should  take  Him  up  into  heaven, 
there  to  reign  till  He  had  put  down  His  spiritual  enemies,  the 
whole  host  of  darkness,  under  His  feet,  and  till  the  number 
should  be  fulfilled  which  He  foreknew  would  be  men  of  piety 
and  virtue,  for  whose  sake  He  suspends  the  general  conflagra- 
tion. Hear  the  words  of  the  prophet  David  to  this  purpose, 
"  The  Lord  saith  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  at  my  right  hand  until 
I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool.  The  Lord  shall  send  the 
rod  of  Thy  strength  out  of  Sion  :  rule  Thou  in  the  midst  of 

The  words  of  Suetonius  in  the  Life  of  Vespasian  are  very  remarkable, 
"  Percrebuerat  oriente  toto  vetus  et  constans  opinio,  esse  in  fatis,  ut  eo 
tempore  Judaea  profecti  rerum  potirentur ; "  and  to  the  same  purpose  are 
those  of  Tacitus  {Hist.  1.  v.),  "  Pluribus  persuasio  inerat,  antiquis  Sacer- 
dotum  literis  contineri,  eo  ipso  tempore  fore,  ut  valesceret  oriens,  pro- 
fectique  Jud^a  rerum  potirentur."  Now  that  which  I  look  upon  as  the 
most  probable  account  of  these  express  prophecies  concerning  Christ,  I 
mean  how  they  came  to  be  so  rife  among  the  heathens,  is  this,  that  the 
Jews  in  their  dispersion  took  all  occasions  to  speak  the  most  magnificent 
things  of  their  expected  Messiah  ;  and  that  these  prophecies,  by  the  more 
than  ordinary  grace  of  God,  shone  brighter  and  clearer  upon  their  minds 
during  their  captivity,  as  the  great  support  to  them  under  their  exile  ;  and 
that  the  Jewish  oracles  came  to  be  admitted  into  the  Sibylline  books  laid 
up  in  the  Capitol,  I  believe,  was  upon  this  occasion.  Now  the  books  of 
Sibyls  were  of  two  kinds,  those  bought  by  Tarquin,  and  burnt  with  the 
Capitol  in  the  time  of  Sylla  ;  and  these  we  find  from  Livy  were  full  of 
nothing  but  idolatry  and  superstition.  But  after  the  rebuilding  of  the 
Capitol,  there  were  others  brought  from  Erythrcea  by  the  three  ambassadors 
deputed  for  that  purpose  ;  and  afterwards  upon  the  same  design  were  others 
sent  by  Augustus,  as  Tacitus  tells  us,  Annal.  lib.  vi.,  "  Qusesitis  Samo,  Ilio, 
Erythris,  per  Afiicam  etiam  et  Siciliam  et  Italicas  Colonias  Carminibus 
Sibyllse,  datum  Sacerdotibus  negotium,  quantum  humana  ope  potuissent, 
vera  discernere."  And  to  the  same  purpose  Suetonius,  Aug.  c.  31.  Now 
who  can  doubt  but  in  this  search  after  the  Sibylline  oracles,  many  of  the 
Jewish  prophecies  were  picked  up  (especially  those  famous  ones  concern- 
ing the  new  king),  and  carried  with  the  rest  to  Rome ;  for  after  the  first 
were  burnt  with  the  Capitol,  who  could  possibly  distinguish  the  one  from 
the  other  ?  And  therefore  Tacitus  cautiously  adds  in  the  afore-cited  passage, 
"quantum  humana  ope  potuissent." 


(56)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

Thine  enemies.  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of 
Thy  power,  in  the  beauties  of  holiness ;  from  the  womb  have 
I  begotten  Thee  before  the  morning  star "  (Ps.  ex.  1-3). 
Now  these  words,  "The  Lord  shall  send  the  rod  of  Thy 
strength  out  of  Jerusalem,"  are  predictive  of  that  most  powerful 
doctrine,  which  the  apostles  after  their  departure  from  Jeru- 
salem proclaimed  to  the  whole  world  ;  which  very  doctrine 
we  embrace  and  teach  everywhere,  though  we  know  it  is  death 
by  your  law  to  teach  it,  or  so  much  as  profess  the  name  of 
Christ.  But  if  the  Christian  profession  must  still  meet  with 
such  bitter  treatment,  remember  what  I  told  you  before,  that 
the  farthest  you  can  go  is  to  take  away  our  lives ;  but  the  loss 
of  this  life  will  certainly  be  no  ill  bargain  to  us.  You,  indeed, 
and  all  such  wicked  enemies,  without  repentance,  shall  one  day 
dearly  pay  for  this  persecution  in  (ire  everlasting. 

'  LXI.  But  lest  men  of  perverse  minds  for  the  staggering  of 
Christian  converts  should  object,  that  we  ourselves  allow  Christ 
not  to  have  been  born  above  an  hundred  and  fifty  years,  in  the 
time  of  Cyrenius,  and  that  He  broached  His  doctrine  under 
Pontius  Pilate ;  and  from  hence  cry  out  that  all  mankind 
before  the  birth  of  Christ  must  consequently  have  been  inno- 
cent, I  shall  by  way  of  prevention  solve  this  doubt.  One 
article  of  our  faith  then  is,  that  Christ  is  the  First-begotten  of 
God,  and  we  have  already  proved  Him  to  be  the  very  Logos, 
or  universal  Reason,  of  Which  mankind  are  all  partakers  ;  and 
therefore  those  who  live  by  reason  are  in  some  sort  Christians,^ 

^  For  the  better  understanding  of  this  passage,  which  is  so  severely 
excepted  against  by  Daille,  Casaubon,  and  others,  you  are  to  observe  in 
what  sense  our  Justin  uses  the  word  Xoyoi  ;  and  his  notion  is  plainly  this, 
that  Christ  was  the  Eternal  xiym  or  Wisdom  of  His  Father,  the  xiyoi 
IvS/a^sTo;  xai  chiriuhis,  the  inward  substantial  Word  of  His  Father,  the 
Fountain  of  Reason,  as  the  sun  is  the  fountain  of  light,  and  that  from  Him 
there  was  a  xiyos  or  Reason  naturally  derived  into  every  man,  as  a  beam 
and  emanation  of  light  from  that  sun ;  to  which  purpose  Origen,  who  is 
exactly  of  the  same  opinion,  expounds  thnt  of  St.  John,   "  In  the  beginning 


The  First  Apology  of  Justhi  Marty7\     (57) 

notwithstanding  they  may  pass  with  you  for  atheists.  Such 
among  the  Greeks  were  Socrates  and  HeracHtus,  and  the  like  ; 
and  such  among  the  barbarians  were  Abraham,  and  Ananias, 
and  Azarias,  and  Misael,  and  Ehas,  and  many  others,  whose 
actions,  nay,  whose  very  names,  I  know,  would  be  tedious  to 
relate,  and  therefore  shall  pass  them  over ;  so,  on  the  other 
side,  those  who  have  lived  in  defiance  of  reason,  were  un- 
christian,  and  enemies  to  the  Logos,  and  such  as  lived 
according  to  Him;  but  they  who  make  reason  the  rule  of 
their  actions  are  Christians,  men  of  undaunted  courage  and 
untroubled  consciences,  for  whose  sake  the  Logos,  by  the  will 
of  God,  the  Father  and  Lord  of  all,  was  by  the  very  power  of 
Himself  made  man  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin,^  and  was  named 

was  the  Logos,  and  the  Logos  was  with  God,  and  the  Logos  was  God. 
That  was  the  true  Light  that  lighteth  eveiy  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,"  Orig.  Com.  in  Joan.  p.  25,  vidi  etiam,  p.  40.  Upon  this  same 
occasion  ]\xs\.m,  inhis  Second  Apology,  p.  46,  calls  Christ  the  roZ  veDirot 
x'oyov,  "  the  universal  Word  or  Reason."  And  Heraclitus,  and  those  who 
lived  according  to  reason  in  part,  are  here  said  to  live  xxra  (rvifi/.a.TiKoZ 
xiyov  fi'tpos,  according  to  the  seminal  word  sown  in  their  nature.  Now,  in- 
asmuch as  by  this  "  Logos  all  things  were  created,  that  are  in  heaven  and 
that  are  in  the  earth  "  (Col.  i.  16),  the  effect  must  in  some  measure  par- 
take of  the  efficient.  The  case  then,  in  short,  is  no  more  than  this,  every 
man  is  naturally  endued  with  reason,  as  a  light  kindled  from  Him  who  is 
the  Logos  or  Wisdom  of  His  Father,  and  may  be  so  far  said  to  partake  of 
Christ,  the  original  Wisdom  ;  and  so  far  as  they  live  "after  the  image  of 
Him  that  created  them,"  may  be  said  xara  koyov  Pnovv,  and  in  tliis  sense 
be  called  Christians.  But  Justin  nowhere  affirms  that  the  Gentiles  might 
be  saved  without  the  entertainment  of  Christianity ;  for  in  many  places 
in  this  Apology  you  find  him  denouncing  eternal  fire  against  such  as 
refuse  to  embrace  the  faith ;  but  only  so  far  as  those  who  never  heard 
of  the  gospel  lived  up  to  reason,  so  far  were  they  akin  to  the  original 
Logos,  and  in  some  sort  Christians.  And  that  whatever  was  rightly  taught 
by  Socrates  among  the  Greeks,  or  by  others  among  the  barbarians,  was  in 
effect  done  by  the  Logos  Himself,   "  the  Word  made  flesh." 

^  A/a  Ivvafiiius  tou  Xoyou.  Section  43,  "The  Spirit  and  Power  of 
God  "  which  overshadowed  the  virgin,  our  Justin  interprets  to  be  the 
Spirit  and  Power  of  the  very  Logos.     And  here  again  he  says,  the  Logos 


(58)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

Jesus,  and  was  crucified,  and  died,  and  rose  again  from  the 
dead,  and  went  again  into  heaven  ;  all  which  1  have  proved  at 
large,  and  is  very  intelligible  to  any  person  of  honest  under- 
standing. And  because  enough  has  been  said  upon  this 
head,  I  shall  proceed  to  others,  which  at  present  seem  more 
necessary. 

begot  Himself;  and  that  of  St.  Luke  i.  35,  crvsw^*  a.yiBv  and  lwau.11 
l-^'iUTov,  "  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  Power  of  the  Most  High."  Tertullian 
likewise  expounds  of  the  very  Logos,  adv.  Prax.  c.  26.  This,  I  confess, 
seemed  to  me  at  first  sight  a  very  harsh  interpretation,  but  finding,  upon 
second  thoughts,  that  it  related  not  to  His  eternal  generation,  but  only  to 
that  in  time  and  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin,  I  concluded  that  these  Fathers 
could  mean  no  more  than  what  the  Scriptures  plainly  say,  viz.  that  He 
took  upon  Himself  our  flesh,  and  made  Himself  man  in  the  womb  of  a 
virgin.  But  then  this  interpretation  manifestly  overthrows  what  the 
author  of  the  Reasonableness  of  Christianity  would  insinuate,  pp.  199,  200, 
201,  and  elsewhere,  that  Christ  was  only  the  Son  of  God,  because  He  was 
conceived  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin  by  the  immediate  power  of  God  : 
"Adam,"  says  he,  "is  called  the  son  of  God  (Luke  iii.  38),  and  had  this 
part  of  his  Father's  image,  viz.  that  he  was  immortal ;  but  Adam  trans- 
gressing, forfeited  his  immortality,  and  begot  children  after  his  own  image, 
mortal  like  their  father  ;  but  God  willing  to  bestow  eternal  life  on  mortal 
men,  sends  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world,  who  being  conceived  in  the 
womb  of  a  virgin  by  the  immediate  power  of  God,  was  properly  the 
Son  of  God,  according  to  what  the  angel  declared  to  His  mother  (Luke 
i.  30-35).  And  being  the  Son  of  God,  and  not  having  forfeited  that 
Sonship  by  any  transgression.  He  was  the  Heir  of  Eternal  Life,  as  Adam 
should  have  been,  had  he  continued  in  his  filial  duty."  But  nov/,  not 
to  ask  how  Christ  can  be  said  to  be  the  only,  and  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God  upon  the  account  aforesaid,  when  Adam  was  the  first  man,  and 
without  either  father  or  mother,  immediately  formed  by  God  Himself,  and 
therefore  called  expressly  the  son  of  God  (Luke  iii.  38) ;  not  to  ask  this, 
I  say,  our  IVlartyr,  who  most  certainly  was  fully  acquainted  with  this  grand 
article  of  the  Christian  faith,  has  put  it  beyond  dispute,  that  Christ  was 
not  properly  the  Son,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  because  conceived  by 
the  power  of  the  Most  High  ;  for  He  interprets  this  "  Most  High"  of  the 
very  Logos  Himself,  and  more  than  once.  And  if  Christ  is  God,  as  Justin 
in  this  Apology  expressly  calls  Him,  and  above  twenty  times  in  his  other 
writings,  then  His  human  generation  may  very  justly  be  ascribed  to  Him- 
self as  God. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (59) 

LXII.  Because  then  it  was  foretold  by  the  prophetic  Spirit 
that  the  land  of  the  Jews  should  be  laid  desolate,  hear  the 
words  of  the  prophecy,  which  personate  a  people  in  a  maze  at 
what  had  befallen  them  :  "  Zion  is  a  wilderness,  Jerusalem  a 
desolation,  our  holy  and  our  beautiful  house,  where  our  fathers 
praised  Thee,  is  burnt  up  with  fire,  and  all  our  pleasant  things 
are  laid  waste.  And  Thou  refrainest  Thyself  for  these  things, 
and  dost  hold  Thy  peace,  and  afflict  us  very  sore  "  (Isa.  Ixiv. 
10,  II,  12).  And  what  a  desolation  Jerusalem  has  been, 
according  to  this  prediction,  you  yourselves  know  with  a 
witness.  It  was,  moreover,  prophesied  concerning  this  desola- 
tion, that  not  a  Jew  should  be  tolerated  to  live  there  ;  for 
thus  Isaiah  has  it,  "  Your  country  is  desolate,  strangers 
devour  it  in  your  presence,  and  there  is  none  to  inhabit " 
(Isa.  i.  7).  And  what  care  you  have  taken  of  fulfilling  this 
prophecy,  you  need  not  be  told,  for  you  have  made  it  capital 
in  a  Jew  to  set  a  foot  in  his  own  country.^ 

LXIII.  And  how  it  was  foretold  that  our  Christ  should  cure 
all  diseases  and  raise  the  dead,  you  may  learn  from  hence  : 
"  At  His  coming  the  lame  shall  leap  like  a  stag,  and  the  tongue 
of  the  dumb  shall  be  eloquent,  the  lepers  shall  be  cleansed, 
and  the  dead  shall  rise  and  walk  about "  (Isa.  xxxv.  6). 
And  how  He  performed  these  miracles,  you  may  easily  be 
satisfied  from  the  acts  of  Pontius  Pilate,  and  how  the  prophetic 
Spirit  declared  beforehand  that  both  He  and  those  who  trusted 
in  Him  should  lose  their  lives,  I  refer  you  to  this  passage  in 
Isaiah :  "  Behold,  how  the  righteous  perisheth,  and  no  man 
layeth  it  to  heart ;  and  merciful  men  are  taken  away,  none 
considering  that  the  righteous  is  taken  away  from  the  evil 
to  come ;  he  shall  go  in  peace,  he  is  taken  from  among  us  " 
(Isa.  Ivii.  I,  2).     Again,  you  may  see  how  it  was  published  by 

^  Concerning  this  interdict  against  the  Jews  entering  into  the  Holy 
Land  under  pain  of  death,  see  Euseb.  Hist,  Eccles.  lib.  iv.  c.  4,  and 
TertuU.  ApoL  c.  21. 


(6o)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

the  same  Isaiah,  that  the  Gentiles  who  expected  Him  not, 
should  worship  Him ;  but  the  Jews,  who  were  always  in 
expectation  of  Him,  should  not  know  Him,  even  when  He 
was  come  unto  them.  The  words  are  delivered  in  the  per- 
son of  Christ,  and  run  thus  :  "  I  am  sought  of  them  that 
asked  not  for  me  :  I  am  found  of  them  that  sought  me  not : 
I  said,  Behold  me,  behold  me,  unto  a  nation  that  was  not 
called  by  my  name.  I  have  spread  out  my  hands  unto  a 
rebellious  people,  which  walketh  in  no  good  way,  but  after 
their  own  thoughts ;  a  people  that  provoketh  me  to  anger 
continually  to  my  face  "  (Isa.  Ixv.  1-3).  For  the  Jews,  who 
had  these  oracles  in  keeping,  and  were  always  up  in  expecta- 
tion of  the  Messiah,  saw  Him  not  when  before  their  eyes ; 
and  not  only  overlooked  Him,  but  abused  Him  to  the  last 
degree  of  ignominy.  But  the  Gentiles,  who  sat  in  darkness 
and  had  heard  nothing  of  Christ  till  after  His  apostles  went 
from  Jerusalem,  and  expounded  the  things  concerning  Him, 
and  published  the  prophecies, — these  people,  I  say,  were 
filled  with  joy  and  faith  at  the  glad  tidings,  and  both  re- 
nounced their  idols,  and  also  consecrated  themselves  to  the 
Unbegotten  God  through  Christ.^  And  that  the  infamous 
stories  spread  about  against  the  professors  of  Christ,  and  the 
miseries  that  should  befall  the  spreaders  of  them,  and  such  as 
value  themselves  so  mightily  for  adhering  to  the  customs  of 
their  forefathers,  that  all  these  things  were  foreknown,  you  may 
easily  perceive  from  this  short  passage  in  Isaiah,  "  Woe  be  to 
them  who  call  bitter  sweet,  and  sweet  bitter  "  (Isa.  v.  20). 

LXIV.  Moreover,  that  He  was  to  be  made  man  for  the  sake 
of  mankind,  and  that  He  should  be  contented  to  suffer,  and 
to  be  treated  in  the  most  dishonourable  manner,  and  at  length 
come  again  in  glory,  I  shall  propose  to  your  observation  the 

'  That  this  was  the  ancient  form  of  words  proclaimed  by  the  deacon, 
upon  the  dismission  of  such  catechumens  from  the  Church  as  were  shortly 
to  be  baptized ;  see  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  the  place. 


The  Fii'st  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (6i) 

prophecies  upon  this  head.  "  Because  He  hath  poured  out 
His  soul  unto  death,  and  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors, 
and  bare  the  sin  of  many,  and  made  atonement  for  the  trans- 
gressors "  (Isa.  Hii.  12).  "Behold,  my  Servant  shall  deal 
prudently,  He  shall  be  exalted  and  extolled,  and  be  very  high. 
As  many  were  astonished  at  Thee ;  His  visage  was  so  much 
marred,  more  than  any  man,  and  His  form  more  than  the  sons 
ot  men  :  so  shall  many  nations  admire,  and  the  kings  shall 
shut  their  mouths  at  Him :  for  that  which  had  not  been  told 
them  shall  they  see,  and  that  which  they  had  not  heard  shall 
they  understand"  (Isa.  lii.  13-15).  "  Lord,  who  hath  believed 
our  report  ?  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  ? 
For  He  shall  grow  up  before  Him  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as 
a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground  :  He  hath  no  form  or  comeliness ; 
and  when  we  shall  see  Him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should 
desire  Him.  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men ;  a  man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief :  and  we  hid  as  it  were  our 
faces  from  Him ;  He  was  despised,  and  we  esteemed  Him 
not.  Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows  : 
yet  we  did  esteem  Him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted. 
But  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  He  was  wounded 
for  our  iniquities :  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon 
Him ;  and  with  His  stripes  are  we  healed.  All  we  like  sheep 
have  gone  astray ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way ; 
and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.  He 
was  oppressed,  and  He  was  afflicted,  yet  He  opened  not  His 
mouth  ;  He  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a 
sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  He  opened  not  His 
mouth.  He  was  taken  away  by  distress  and  judgment"  (Isa. 
liii.  1-8).  Accordingly,  upon  His  crucifixion  His  disciples  all 
deserted  and  denied  Him,  but  upon  the  sight  of  their  Master 
just  risen  from  the  dead,  and  when  He  had  let  their  under- 
standings into  the  prophecies  where  this  whole  scene  of 
suffering  and  triumph  was  described,  and  had  made  His 
ascension  into  heaven  before  their  eyes,  and  thus  fully  con- 

p 


(62)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

vinced  them,  and  showered  down  upon  them  the  powers  of 
the  Spirit,  they  went  out  in  the  strength  thereof  into  every 
nation,  preaching  these  things,  and  from  their  mission  were 
called  apostles. 

LXV.  And  to  acquaint  us  that  the  sufferer  of  all  this  was 
of  a  generation  inexplicable,  and  that  fie  should  rule  over 
His  enemies,  the  prophetic  Spirit  speaks  thus :  "  Who  shall 
declare  His  generation  ?  for  He  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land 
of  the  living,  for  the  transgression  of  My  people  was  He 
stricken ;  and  He  made  His  grave  with  the  wicked,  and  the 
rich  in  His  death,  because  He  had  done  no  violence,  neither 
was  any  deceit  in  His  mouth.  Yet  it  pleased  the  Lord  to 
bruise  Him ;  He  hath  put  Him  to  grief.  When  Thou  shalt 
make  His  soul  an  offering  for  sin.  He  shall  see  His  seed,  He 
shall  prolong  His  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  in  His  hand.  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  His  soul, 
and  shall  be  satisfied.  By  His  knowledge  shall  My  righteous 
Servant  justify  many,  for  He  shall  bear  their  iniquities. 
Therefore  will  I  divide  Him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  He 
shall  divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong,  because  He  has  poured 
out  His  soul  unto  death,  and  He  was  numbered  with  the 
transgressors,  and  made  intercession  for  many"  (Isa.  liii. 
8-12).  Hear  another  prophecy  concerning  His  ascension: 
*'  Lift  up  the  gates  of  heaven,  and  be  ye  lift  up,  ye  everlast- 
ing doors,  that  the  King  of  glory  may  enter  in.  Who  is  the 
King  of  glory  ?  The  Lord  strong,  the  Lord  mighty  in  battle  " 
(Ps.  xxiv.  7,  8).  And  that  you  may  see  how  He  is  to  come 
again  from  heaven  in  glory,  I  will  give  you  the  prophecy  of 
Daniel :  "  Behold,  the  Son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  and  His  angels  with  Him  "  (Dan.  vii.  13). 

LXVI.  Since  therefore  we  thus  demonstrably  prove  that 
the  things  now  come  to  pass  were  proclaimed  by  the  prophets 
long  before  the  events,  how  can  we  withhold  from  believing 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (63) 

that  the  prophecies  as  yet  unfulfilled  will  as  verily  be  ac- 
complished in  their  season  as  those  we  now  see  verified  with 
our  own  eyes  ?  For  as  these  were  once  foretold  and  dis- 
believed, and  yet  came  to  pass,  so  the  remainder  will  be 
brought  to  as  certain  an  issue,  in  spite  of  ignorance  and  in- 
fidelity ;  for  the  very  same  prophets  have  foretold  a  twofold 
Advent  of  Christ,  one  wherein  He  was  to  come  in  the  guise  of 
an  inglorious  suffering  mortal,  and  this  is  over;  the  other, 
wherein  He  shall  come  in  His  own  form,  encircled  with 
celestial  glory,  and  His  host  of  angels,  when  He  shall  raise 
from  the  dead  all  the  men  that  ever  had  a  being,i  and  shall 
invest  the  righteous  with  bodies  incorruptible,  and  make  the 
ungodly,  together  with  these  wicked  spirits,  feel  His  vengeance 
in  fire  everlasting. 

LXVII.  And  the  prophetic  predictions  concerning  this 
second  Advent  you  have  thus  delivered  by  Ezekiel :  *'  The 
bones  came  together,  bone  to  his  bone,  and  the  flesh  came 
upon  them  "  (Ezek.  xxxvii.  7,  8).  "  And  every  knee  shall  bow 
to  the  Lord,  and  every  tongue  shall  confess  Him  "  (Isa.  xlv.  23). 
And  for  the  pains  and  torments  the  wicked  shall  undergo 
hereafter,  pray  consider  these  words :  "  Their  worm  shall  not 
die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched  "  (Isa.  Ixvi.  24).  And 
then  shall  they  repent,  when  repentance  shall  be  too  late. 
And  what  the  unbelieving  Jews  will  say  and  do  in  that  day, 
when  they  shall  see  Him  coming  in  His  glory,  the  prophet 
Zechariah  describes  in  this  manner :  "  Ho,  ho,  come  forth, 
and  flee  from  the  land  of  the  north,  for  I  have  spread  you 
abroad  as  the  four  winds  of  the  heavens  "  (Zech.  ii.  6).  "  And 
then  will  I  make  Jerusalem  a  cup  of  trembling,  not  of  trembling 

^  Here  again  you  see  Justin  Martyr,  as  clear  and  express  as  words  can 
make  him,  for  a  general  resurrection  to  eternal  happiness  or  misery,  "a 
resurrection  of  all  the  men  that  ever  had  a  being,"  against  Mr.  Dodwell, 
in  his  Epistolary  Discourse  above  cited.  Vide  Sozom.  Hist.  Eccl,  lib.  i. 
c.  iii.  versus  finem. 


(64)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

with  the  countenance  only,  but  in  their  heart,  and  shall  rend 
not  their  garments,  but  their  minds.  And  tribe  shall  mourn 
to  tribe.  And  they  shall  look  upon  Him  whom  they  pierced  " 
(Zech.  xii.  2,  10,  12 1),  and  shall  say:  "O  Lord,  why  hast 
Thou  made  us  to  err  from  Thy  ways  ?  The  glory  which  our 
forefathers  were  blessed  with  is  turned  to  our  reproach  "  {Isa. 
Ixiii.  17,  Ixiv.  11). 

LXVIII.  I  have  a  great  many  other  prophecies  in  store, 
but  I  forbear,  concluding  what  has  been  produced  to  be 
enough  in  reason  for  the  conviction  of  such  as  have  ears  that 
will  admit  them  to  a  fair  hearing,  and  understandings  prepared 
for  truth.  I  can  hardly  persuade  myself  that  you  can  take 
us  for  such  romancers  as  those  who  dress  up  stories  about 
the  fictitious  progeny  of  Jove,  mighty  talkers,  but  able  to 
prove  nothing.  For  what  motive  could  ever  possibly  have 
persuaded  us  to  believe  a  crucified  man  to  be  the  First- 
begotten  of  the  Unbegotten  God,  and  that  He  should  come 
to  be  the  judge  of  all  the  world,  had  we  not  met  with  those 
prophetic  testimonies  of  Him  proclaimed  so  long  before  His 
incarnation?  Were  we  not  eye-witnesses  to  the  fulfilling  of 
them?  Did  we  not  see  the  desolation  of  Judaea,  and  men 
out  of  all  nations  proselyted  to  the  faith  by  His  apostles,  and 
renouncing  the  ancient  errors  they  were  brought  up  in  ?  Did 
we  not  find  the  prophecies  made  good  in  ourselves,  and  see 
Christians  in  greater  number  and  in  greater  sincerity  from 
among  the  Gentiles  than  from  the  Jews  and  Samaritans? 
For  all  sorts  of  people  are  by  the  prophetic  Spirit  styled 
Gentiles ;  but  the  Jews  and  Samaritans  stand  distinguished  by 
the  name  of  the  house  of  Israel  and  Jacob. 

LXIX.  And  how  this  also  was  foretold  that  there  should 

^  These  are  various  passages  out  of  the  prophet  Zechariah,  as  they 
occurred  to  the  memory  of  Justin,  and  the  sense,  and  not  the  express 
words  set  down  by  him. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (65) 

be  more  believers  from  the  Gentiles  than  from  the  Jews  and 
Samaritans,  I  propose  this  prophecy  to  your  consideration  : 
"Sing,  O  barren,  thou  that  didst  not  bear;  break  forth  into 
singing,  and  cry  aloud,  thou  that  didst  not  travail  with  child : 
for  more  are  the  children  of  the  desolate  than  the  children  of 
the  married  wife  "  (Isa.  liv.  i).  The  Gentiles  were  the  desolate, 
a  people  not  cultivated  by  the  true  God,  but  bewildered  in  the 
worship  of  the  works  of  their  own  hands ;  but  the  Jews  and 
Samaritans  had  the  Word  of  God  delivered  to  them  by  the  pro- 
phets, and  were  always  in  expectation  of  the  Christ ;  and  yet, 
when  present,  they  had  eyes  and  saw  Him  not,  except  a  small 
remnant,  whom  the  prophetic  Spirit  foretold  should  be  saved. 
He  speaks  thus  in  the  person  of  the  people  :  "  Except  the  Lord 
of  hosts  had  left  unto  us  a  very  small  remnant,  we  should 
have  been  as  Sodom,  and  we  should  have  been  like  unto 
Gomorrah  "  (Isa.  i.  9).  Now  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  are  related 
by  Moses  to  be  cities  whose  inhabitants  were  abominably 
wicked  people,  and  which  God  destroyed  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone, and  saved  not  one  alive,  except  a  Chaldean  foreigner 
called  Lot  and  his  daughters ;  and  that  all  this  country  is  a 
desert,  and  burnt  up,  and  barren  to  this  day,  they  who  will 
give  themselves  the  trouble  may  see  the  truth  of  it  with  their 
own  eyes.  And  how  the  Gentiles  should  become  the  truest 
and  most  faithful  converts,  the  prophet  Jeremiah  thus  inti- 
mates :  "  All  the  house  of  Israel  are  uncircumcised  in  the 
heart,  but  the  Gentiles  in  the  foreskin  "  (Jer.  ix.  26). 

LXX.  So  many,  therefore,  and  such  mighty  proofs  as  your 
own  eyes  are  witnesses  to  cannot  fail,  methinks,  of  generating 
a  firm  and  rational  faith  in  the  minds  of  those  who  are  lovers 
of  truth,  and  not  carried  away  with  opiniatrety  and  passion ; 
but  the  instructors  of  your  youth,  who  read  them  lectures  out 
of  the  fables  of  the  poets,  never  let  them  into  the  ground  of 
these  fictions.  And  that  they  are  the  work  of  devilcraft  only, 
the  better  to  delude  mankind  and  hold  them  in  darkness,  I 


(66)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

shall  now  prove.^  For  these  devilish  spirits  no  sooner  under- 
stood by  the  prophets  that  Christ  was  to  come,  and  the  ungodly 
to  be  punished  with  fire,  but  they  trumped  up  that  crew  of 
Jove's  sons  abovesaid,  imagining  by  this  forgery  to  debauch 
the  world  into  an  opinion,  that  these  prophecies  concerning 
Christ  were  just  such  another  pack  of  lies  as  the  fables  of  the 
poets ;  and  these  stories  they  divulged  among  the  Greeks  and 
all  the  Gentiles,  when  they  learned  from  the  prophets  that 
these  were  the  people  that  should  mostly  come  over  to  the 
Christian  faith ;  but  not  diving  far  enough  into  the  sense  of 
the  prophets,  they  attempted  to  copy  after  them,  and,  like 
men  in  the  dark,  blundered  in  their  imitation,  as  I  shall  now 
show  you. 

LXXI.  The  prophet  Moses,  then,  as  I  have  said,  was  the 

1  The  Son  of  God  no  sooner  enters  upon  His  prophetic  office  but  the 
devil  attacks  Him  in  person  and  from  Scripture ;  for  as  far  as  he  was 
able  to  form  any  conjecture  from  Scripture  concerning  the  state  of  the  new 
King  and  Kingdom,  so  far  he  endeavoured  to  impose  upon  the  Word,  by 
rivalling  it  in  his  kingdom  of  darkness.  He  had  his  Perseus,  the  son  of 
Jove  by  a  virgin,  he  had  his  priests  and  sacrifices,  his  baptisms  and  mock 
communions,  etc.  He  had  reigned  a  long  time  as  the  god  of  this  world, 
and  taken  possession  everywhere  but  in  Judsea,  and  was  in  the  most 
flourishing  condition  when  Christ  came  down  to  destroy  his  kingdom ; 
and  though  these  evil  spirits  did  confess  and  tremble,  and  flee  before  Him, 
yet  did  their  power  continue  for  some  ages  after,  and  seems  to  be  permitted 
by  Providence  so  to  do,  on  purpose  as  one  great  argument  to  proselytise 
the  world  by ;  for  to  their  power  over  evil  spirits  do  the  first  Christians 
constantly  appeal  upon  all  occasions.  Now,  after  so  much  evidence  from 
Scripture  and  antiquity,  to  say,  as  some  have  done,  that  possessions  were 
nothing  but  diseases ;  and  oracles  and  the  like  were  all  pure  priestcraft, 
which  the  Fathers  by  the  true  name  call  devilcraft,  is  in  short  to  say  any- 
thing to  render  the  name  of  priest  in  general  odious.  But  if  the  Christians 
of  the  first  ages  did  cast  out  devils  so  frequently,  as  they  say  they  did,  and 
which  you  will  find  in  the  Apologies  they  insist  upon  oftener  than  in  any 
one  thing  in  their  writings,  then  I  leave  it  to  any  considering  person, 
what  deference  is  due  to  the  judgments  of  those  who  were  gifted  with  such 
a  miraculous  power  for  the  propagation  of  the  Christian  doctrine. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (67) 

ancientest  of  writers,  and  he  delivered  this  prophecy,  whicli  I 
have  already  quoted  :  "  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from 
Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh 
come )  and  unto  Him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be ; 
binding  His  foal  unto  the  vine,  and  washing  His  garments  in 
the  blood  of  the  grape"  (Gen.  xhx.  10,  11).  Upon  hearing 
these  prophetic  words,  the  devils  set  up  Bacchus  for  the  son  of 
Jove,  and  make  him  the  inventor  of  the  vine,  and  introduce 
an  ass  into  his  mysteries,  and  give  out  that  after  he  was  torn 
in  pieces  he  ascended  into  heaven.^  And  because  it  is  not 
expressly  determined  in  this  prophecy  of  Moses,  whether  He 
Who  was  to  come  was  the  Son  of  God,  and  whether  He  who 
should  ride  upon  the  foal  was  to  continue  upon  earth,  or  to 
ascend  into  heaven ;  and  the  word  foal  denoting  either  the 
foal  of  an  ass  or  a  mare,  not  knowing,  I  say,  which  of  the 
two  was  to  be  a  symbol  of  His  Advent,  or  whether  He  should 
be  the  Son  of  God  or  man,  they  proclaimed  Bellerophon,  a 
mere  man  of  man,  to  have  ascended  up  to  heaven  upon  his 
horse  Pegasus.  Moreover,  finding  by  another  prophet,  Isaiah, 
that  He  was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin,  and  ascend  to  heaven  by 
Himself,  they  forged  a  Perseus  to  mimic  Him  in  this  also. 
And  when  they  saw  Him  described  by  the  prophecies,  "  Re- 
joicing as  a  giant  to  run  his  course,"  they  preached  up  the 
giant  Hercules  running  over  the  whole  earth.  And  again, 
perceiving  by  the  prophets  that  He  was  to  cure  all  sorts  of 
diseases,  and  to  raise  the  dead,  they  palmed  their  ^Esculapius 
upon  the  world  to  ape  Him  in  this  also. 

LXXn.  But  here  the  devils  were  out  in  their  politics  not 
to  have  one  of  Jove's  sons  crucified  in  imitation  of  Christ. 

1  These  several  instances  of  diabolical  imitation  you  may  find  more 
particularly  illustrated  by  our  Justin  in  his  excellent  Dialogue  with  Trypho 
the  Jew ;  and  to  the  less  knowing  I  would  recommend  that  done  into 
English  by  no  ill  hand.  I  have  consulted  Dr.  Grabe's  Spicilegium  for 
changing  oTvav  into  ««»,  and  think  his  reasons  conclusive. 


(68)     The  First  Apology  of  Just '.n  Martyr. 

But  this,  as  I  have  showed  you,  being  symbolically  represented, 
they  could  not  spell  out  the  meaning  of  the  symbol ;  though 
the  cross,  according  to  the  prophet,  was  the  greater  character- 
istic of  His  power  and  government,  and  is  visible  almost  ih 
everything  you  see.  For  cast  your  eyes  upon  the  world,  and 
tell  me  whether  anything  is  transacted,  any  commerce  main- 
tained, without  the  resemblance  of  a  cross?  Without  this 
trophy  of  ours  you  cannot  go  to  sea,  for  navigation  depends 
upon  sails,  and  they  are  made  in  fashion  of  a  cross  ;  ^  there  is 
neither  ploughing  nor  digging,  nor  any  handicraft  work  per- 
formed without  instruments  of  this  figure;  nay,  a  man  is 
distinguished  from  a  beast  by  the  uprightness  of  his  body 
and  the  extension  of  his  arms,  and  the  prominency  of  the 
nose  he  breathes  through,  which  are  all  representations  of  the 
cross,  in  allusion  to  which  the  prophet  thus  speaks :  "  The 
breath  of  our  nostrils  Christ  the  Lord."^  Moreover,  your 
banners  declare  the  power  of  this  figure,  and  the  trophies  you 

1  Concerning  the  sign  of  the  cross,  you  will  find  among  all  the  earliest 
writers  of  the  Church  that  they  constantly  made  use  of  it,  not  only  in  the 
Sacrament  of  Baptism,  but  in  all  the  common  actions  of  life ;  for  Ter- 
tullian,  de  Coi-.  Mil.  c.  iii.  p.  102,  tells  us  "that  upon  every  motion,  at 
their  going  out  and  coming  in,  at  their  going  to  the  bath,  or  to  bed,  or  to 
meals,  or  whatever  their  employment  or  occasions  called  them  to,  they 
were  wont,  '  frontem  signaculo  terere,'  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon 
their  forehead;  and  this  they  did,"  he  moreover  adds,  "not  that  it  was 
imposed  by  any  law  of  Christ,  but  introduced  by  a  pious  custom  as  a 
sensible  means  to  revive  their  faith,  and  remind  them  of  their  Lord,  and 
to  let  the  heathen  world  see  that  they  gloried  in  their  crucified  Master, 
who  was  foolishness  to  the  Gentile  and  a  stumbling-block  to  the  Jew  upon 
this  very  account."  But  how  far  they  were  from  adoring  a  cross,  as  was 
objected  against  them,  you  will  see  sufficiently  answered  and  ridiculed  in 
the  following  Apology. 

^  These  words  are  literally  understood  of  King  Josiah  or  Zedekiah,  but 
mystically  applied  by  the  Fathers  in  general  to  our  Saviour  Christ,  and 
this  occasioned  by  the  version  of  the  Septuagint,  which  has  not  xf"'^'^ 
xupiov,  "the  anointed  of  the  Lord,"  as  Josiah  was,  but  ^P"''''^!  KVfios, 
"  Christ  the  Lord,"  which  can  hardly  be  understood  of  any  but  our 
Saviour  Christ.     See  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  this  place. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (69) 

use  everywhere  in  your  public  processions^  are  symbols  of 
power  and  dominion,  although  in  your  practice  you  have  no 
respect  to  the  reason  of  the  figure ;  and  the  images  of  your 
departed  emperors  you  consecrate  upon  cross -like  engines, 
and  inscribe  them  gods.  Since,  therefore,  we  invite  you  by 
reason  and  the  ceremony  of  the  cross,  so  much  in  vogue 
among  you,  we  know  we  shall  be  blameless  for  the  future, 
whether  you  embrace  the  faith  or  not,  for  we  have  done  our 
best  to  make  you  Christians.^ 

LXXIII.  But  these  restless  demons,  not  contented  to  foist 
upon  the  Gentile  world  the  fictitious  sons  of  Jove  before  the 
coming  of  Christ,  but  even  after  His  appearance  and  public 
converse  with  men,  when  they  found  by  the  prophets  that  all 
nations  should  come  to  fix  their  faith  and  expectation  on 
Him,  they  raised  up  another  set  of  impostors,  namely,  Simon 
and  Menander,  both  Samaritans,  who  by  their  magic  arts  have 
imposed  upon  many,  and  do  as  yet  hold  them  in  the  same 
delusion ;  for  in  the  reign  of  Claudius  Caesar,  in  your  imperial 
city  of  Rome,  there  was  one  Simon,  as  I  told  you,  who  be- 
witched the  sacred  Senate  and  the  Roman  people  into  that 
astonishment  of  his  person  as  to  conceit  him  a  god,  and  to 
honour  him  with  a  statue  like  the  other  gods.  Wherefore  our 
petition  is,  that  you  would  communicate  this  Apology,  both  to 
the  sacred  Senate  and  to  the  people  of  Rome,  that  if  any  of 
them  should  chance  to  be  hampered  in  his  doctrines,  they 
might,  upon  this  information,  disengage  themselves  from  the 

^  Here  is  a  desideratum,  which  I  have  filled  up  and  connected  as  well 
as  I  can. 

^  I  desire  the  reader  once  again  to  take  notice  of  this  expression,  atn 
^uvafits,  which  cannot  possibly,  I  think,  signify  in  this  place  anything  else 
than  what  I  have  translated  it,  viz.  "  We  have  done  our  best ; "  because 
this  expression  has  been  urged  against  set  forms  of  prayer,  with  how  little 
reason  I  shall  show  anon,  when  I  come  to  the  passage  from  whence  they 
urge  it. 


( 7o)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

error;  and  we   likewise  pray  that  you  would  be  pleased  to 
pull  down  his  statue. 

LXXIV.  These  seducing  spirits  likewise  do  all  they  can  to 
smother  the  notion  of  hell-fire,  but  to  as  little  purpose  as 
they  attempted  to  stifle  the  coming  of  Christ  from  the  know- 
ledge of  the  world ;  for  all  they  can  do  is  only  to  prevail 
with  unreasonable  people,  such  as  have  been  slaves  to  their 
lusts,  and  blindly  take  up  with  the  opinions  in  fashion ;  these, 
I  say,  are  the  only  people  they  work  upon  to  hunt  us  out  of 
our  lives ;  and  yet  to  these  mortal  enemies  are  we  so  far  from 
returning  hatred  for  hatred,  that  from  our  hearts  we  pity  them, 
and  desire  nothing  more  than  to  bring  them  over  to  a  better 
mind.  For  we  are  under  no  concern  for  death,  being  very 
sensible  that  all  must  die,  and  that  there  is  nothing  new 
under  the  sun,  but  what  has  been  is.  And  if  nothing  here 
below  will  satisfy  the  owners  thereof,  no,  not  the  year  about, 
so  as  to  secure  their  minds  from  wants  and  passions,  the  only 
way  left  is  to  apply  to  our  religion  for  that  satisfaction  which 
is  nowhere  else  to  be  found.  But  if  they  believe  nothing 
after  death,  and  are  positive  that  the  dead  depart  into  a  state 
of  insensibility,  they  do  indeed  befriend  us  in  effect  by  dis- 
charging us  from  the  present  sufferings  and  hardships  of  this 
life ;  but  then  they  show  themselves  wicked,  spiteful,  and 
positive  to  the  last  degree  in  this  their  opinion ;  for  though 
they  do  free  us  from  all  evil  by  destroying  us,  yet  they  do  it 
not  with  this  intent,  but  to  deprive  us  only  of  life,  and  all  the 
pleasures  that  belong  to  it. 

LXXV.  Another  prime  agent  for  the  kingdom  of  darkness, 
whom  these  spirits  of  wickedness  brought  upon  this  stage,  was 
one  Marcion  of  Pontus,  whom  I  have  already  mentioned. 
This  fellow  now  teaches  his  followers  to  deny  God,  the  Maker 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  His  Son  Christ  proclaimed  by  the 
prophets,  and  preaches  up  another  god  besides  the  Creator, 


I 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     {j\) 

and  another  son  besides  His  Christ,  upon  whom  abundance  of 
people  pin  their  faith  as  the  only  teacher  of  the  truth,  and  make 
a  mock  at  us,  without  so  much  as  offering  us  a  proof  of  their 
own  assertions ;  but  are  blindly  carried  off  like  lambs  by  a  wolf, 
and  made  a  prey  to  his  wicked  doctrines,  and  to  the  devils, 
the  contrivers  of  them.  For  the  only  prize  these  same  spirits 
contend  for  is  to  seduce  mankind  from  God  the  Creator,  and 
from  the  First-begotten  Christ.  And  such  grovelling  minds  as 
cannot  lift  themselves  from  earth,  they  did  and  do  fasten  to 
earthen  gods,  gods  made  with  hands,  and  fitted  to  the  minds 
of  the  worshippers ;  but  upon  men  of  a  more  exalted  genius, 
and  enured  to  divine  contemplations,  they  practise  more  slyly ; 
and  if  they  are  not  persons  of  sound  judgment,  and  pious 
lives,  and  disengaged  from  passion,  they  throw  them  down 
from  their  speculations  into  very  gross  impieties. 

LXXVI.  But  to  let  you  see  that  not  only  your  poets,  but 
Plato  himself,  borrowed  from  our  Master  (I  mean  from  the 
Logos  Who  spake  by  the  prophets),  I  must  tell  you  that  what 
he  teaches  concerning  God's  creating  the  world  out  of  a  chaos 
of  rude  matter  is  none  of  his  own;  for,  hear  the  express 
words  of  Moses  aforesaid,  the  greatest  of  prophets,  and  older 
than  any  of  the  Grecian  writers,  by  whom  th^e  prophetic  Spirit, 
showing  how,  and  out  of  what  sort  of  matter  God  made  the 
world  in  the  beginning,  thus  speaks :  "  In  the  beginning  God 
created  the  heaven  and  the  earth.  And  the  earth  was  without 
form,  and  void ,  and  darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep. 
And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 
And  God  said,  Let  there  be  light :  and  there  was  light."  And 
that  this  chaos,  first  mentioned  by  Moses,  was  the  subject- 
matter  out  of  which  the  Logos  of  God  made  the  world,  both 
Plato  and  his  followers  and  we  are  agreed ;  and  you  your- 
selves may  soon  be  satisfied  as  to  this  point.  And  what  your 
poets  call  Erebus,  or  hell,  is  spoken  of  by  Moses  also.     (Deut. 

XXxii.   22.) 


(72)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

LXXVII.  And  whereas  Plato,  in  his  Timceus,  philosophising 
about  the  Son  of  God,  says,  "He  expressed  Him  upon  the 
universe  in  the  figure  of  the  letter  X;"^  he  evidently  took 
the  hint  from  Moses ;  for  in  the  Mosaic  writings  it  is  related 
that  after  the  Israelites  went  out  of  Egypt,  and  were  in  the 
desert,  they  were  set  upon  and  destroyed  by  venomous  beasts, 
vipers,  asps,  and  all  sorts  of  serpents,  and  that  Moses  there- 
upon, by  particular  inspiration  from  God,  took  brass  and  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  placed  it  by  the  holy  tabernacle, 
and  declared  that  "  if  people  would  look  upon  that  cross,  and 
believe,  they  should  be  saved j"^  upon  which  he  writes  that 
the  serpents  died,  and  by  this  means  the  people  were  saved. 
Plato  upon  reading  this  passage,  and  not  knowing  it  to  be  a 
type  of  the  cross,  and  having  only  the  idea  of  the  letter  X  in 
his  mind,  said,  that  the  next  power  to  the  Supreme  God  was 
decussated  or  figured  in  the  shape  of  a  cross  upon  the  uni- 
verse ;  and  finding  by  Moses  "  that  the  Spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters,"  he  likewise  mentions  a  third,  for 
he  gives  the  second  place  to  the  Logos  of  God  decussated 
upon  the  world ;  and  the  third  place  he  assigns  to  the  Spirit, 
which  is  said  to  "  move  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,"  thus 
expressing  himself,  "The  third  about  the  third." ^  And  how 
the  prophetic  Spirit  has  foretold  the  general  conflagration  by 
the  mouth  of  Moses,  you  may  perceive  from  these  words : 
"  An  everlasting  fire  shall  descend  and  burn  unto  the  lowest 
hell"  (Deut.  xxxii.  22). 

LXXVIII.*  It  is  not  therefore  we  who  take  our  opinions 

1  See  Sylburg  upon  this  place  at  the  end  of  Dr.  Grabe's  edition. 

^  "Eacv  i-porlixi'prnri.  These  words  of  Moses  are  not  extant  in  Holy 
Scripture,  though  the  sense  is,  Num.  xxi.  9 ;  nor  are  those  of  the  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (xii.  21) ;  and  so  perhaps  both  quoted 
out  of  the  same  Apocryphal  Book  of  Moses  which  might  be  then  extant. 

^  See  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  this  passage  of  Plato. 

*  This  section  alone  I  think  sufficient  to  vindicate  our  Justin  from  the 
aspersions  of  Daniel  Zuicker  and  others,  who  charge  him  with  Platonizing 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (73) 

from  others,  but  others  take  theirs  from  us  ;  for  you  may  hear 
and  learn  these  things  from  such  among  us  as  are  not  able  to 
distinguish  a  letter :  rude  indeed,  and  barbarous  in  speech, 
but  in  mind  wise  and  faithful,  and  some  of  them  lame  and 
blind ;  and  from  hence  you  might  plainly  see  that  Christianity 
is  not  owing  to  human  wisdom,  but  to  the  power  of  God. 

LXXIX.  I  shall  now  lay  before  you  the  manner  of  dedi- 
cating ourselves  to  God  through  Christ  upon  our  conversion ; 
for  should  I  omit  this,  I  might  seem  not  to  deal  sincerely  in 
this  account  of  the  Christian  religion.  As  many  therefore  as 
are  persuaded  and  believe  ^  that  the  things  taught  and  said  by 

in  the  great  doctrine  of  the  Trinity ;  they  well  knew  the  authority  of  this 
martyr  in  the  Christian  Church,  and  how  frequently  and  expressly  he 
asserts  the  divinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  and  therefore 
resolved  to  invalida'3  his  testimony  by  charging  him  with  introducing  the 
Trinity  from  Plato's  school.  But  hear  the  martyr  in  this  place  obviating 
this  calumny,  as  if  he  prophetically  foresaw  what  would  be  charged  upon 
him.  He  had  a  little  before  said  "  that  Plato  had  learned  that  the 
world  was  made  by  the  Logos,  and  that  the  Third  Person  in  the  Godhead, 
viz.  the  Spirit,  was  not  unknown  to  him;"  and  then  adds,  "that  we 
take  not  our  opinion  from  others,  but  others  from  us."  This  is  express, 
that  neither  Justin  nor  any  of  the  Christians  derived  the  doctrine  of  the 
Logos's  creating  the  world  from  the  Platonic  writings,  but  they  from  the 
writings  of  the  prophets.  Moreover,  he  declares  before  the  Emperor  and 
Senate,  that  this  was  no  singular  opinion  of  his  own,  but  the  doctrine  of  the 
Catholic  Church ;  and  that  this  tremendous  mystery  was  so  commonly 
known  to  every  Christian,  that  the  most  illiterate  amongst  them,  such  as 
could  not  read  their  alphabet,  could  discourse  more  clearly  about  it  than 
even  Plato  himself.  And  from  hence  he  justly  concludes  that  the  Chris- 
tians learned  this  doctrine  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity,  oh  fo(p'ia.  av^pu^iia, 
"  not  from  the  Platonists,"  etc.,  but  Iwa/iu  Oiou,  "  from  the  divinely-inspired 
writings,"  and  what  was  taught  everywhere  in  the  churches. 

^  The  Church,  being  founded  by  Christ  as  a  society  and  corporation 
distinct  from  that  of  the  Commonwealth,  is  by  the  nature  of  its  con- 
stitution (had  it  no  express  warrant  from  Scripture)  invested  with  an 
inherent  power  of  its  own,  independent  of  the  civil  magistrate,  of  ad- 
mitting, censuring,  or  excluding  her  members,  and  of  doing  whatever 
else  is  necessary  for  the  peace  and  order  of  the  Christian  community. 


(74)     1^^^^  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

us  are  true,  and  moreover  take  upon  them  to  live  accordingly, 
are  taught  to  pray  and  ask  of  God  with  fasting  for  forgive- 
ness of  their  former  sins,  we  praying  together,  and  fasting  for 
and  with  them,  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  they  are  brought 
to  a  place  of  water,^  and  there  regenerated  after  the  same 
manner  with  ourselves ;  for  they  are  washed  in  the  name  of 
God  the  Father  and  Lord  of  all,  and  of  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  Christ  has  said,  "  Unless  you  are  born  again,  you 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven"  (John  iii,  3,  5). 

Accordingly,  faith  and  repentance  are  here  required  as  necessary  qualifica- 
tions in  persons  adult  before  they  can  be  admitted  to  church  membership 
by  baptism  ;  and  then,  says  Justin,  they  are  brought  to  a  place  of  water. 
Not  presently  (for  you  are  not  to  look  upon  this  as  an  exact  account  of  all 
the  particular  circumstances  either  in  baptism  or  the  Eucharist),  for  the 
candidates  for  baptism  were  catechised  all  the  forty  days  of  Lent  (which 
is  the  fasting,  I  beheve,  Justin  refers  to  in  this  place),  and  then,  upon 
approbation,  baptized  at  Easter  or  Whitsuntide.  These  were  the  two 
stated  times  of  baptism  ;  not  Easterday  or  Whitsunday  precisely,  but  the 
whole  intermediate  space  of  the  fifty  days  between  them  were  in  a  manner 
accounted  festival,  and  baptism  administered  the  whole  time ;  not  but  in  a 
case  of  necessity,  of  sickness,  and  danger  of  death,  they  might  be  baptized 
at  any  time.  But  the  persons  so  baptized  were  called  clinics,  because  iv  t» 
xX/i/»)  (ix^Ti^i/iim,  * '  baptized  in  bed ; "  and  this  kind  of  baptism  looked  upon 
as  less  solemn  and  perfect,  because  it  was  done  not  by  immersion  but 
sprinkling,  and  because  the  persons  were  supposed  at  such  a  time  to  desire 
it  out  of  a  fear  of  death  ;  for  which  reason,  if  they  recovered,  they  were 
ordinarily  made  incapable  by  the  Neocsesarian  Council  of  being  admitted 
to  the  degree  of  presbyters  in  the  Church.     Can.  12. 

^  "They  were  brought  to  a  place  of  water."  It  is  evident  from  this 
place  of  Justin,  and  that  of  Tertullian,  de  Cor.  Mil.  c.  3,  that  ponds  and 
rivers  were  the  only  baptisteries  or  fonts  the  Church  had  for  the  first 
two  hundred  years.  After  the  second  century,  baptisteries  were  erected 
at  a  little  distance  from  churches,  especially  cathedrals,  called  therefore 
baptismal  churches.  The  catechumen,  or  rather  the  competent,  being 
brought  to  the  baptistery,  was  placed  with  his  face  toward  the  west,  the 
symbolical  representation  of  the  prince  of  darkness,  and  then  commanded 
to  spit  at  and  renounce  the  service  of  his  old  master  the  devil,  and  was 
thus  interrogated,  "Dost  thou  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works?" 
etc. ;  to  which  the  party  answered,  "  I  do  renounce  them."     "  Dost  thou 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr,     (75) 

But  you  all  know  it  is  impossible  to  enter  a  second  time  into 
our  mother's  womb.  And  in  allusion  to  this,  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
in  the  words  below  cited,  speaks,  when  he  prescribes  the  method 
by  which  repenting  sinners  may  avoid  the  consequence  of  their 
sins :  "  Wash  ye,  make  you  clean ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your 
doings ;  learn  to  do  well ;  judge  the  fatherless,  and  plead  for 
the  widow.  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the 
Lord :  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white 
as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as 

renounce  the  world  and  all  its  pomps  and  vanities?"  Answer,  "  I  do 
renounce  them."  Atnbr.  de  Sacram.  1.  i.  c.  2,  torn.  4,  p.  429  ;  Hier.  in 
Amos  vi.  Agreeable  to  this  is  that  in  the  Apostolical  Constitutions ,  lib.  vii. 
' ATroTctiuiftcci  TM  Ictraia,  xa)  ro7;  'ipyms  aliTov,  etc.  Next  he  made  an  open 
confession  of  the  faith,  the  bishop  asking,  "Dost  thou  believe  in  God?" 
etc.  ;  to  which  the  person  answered,  "I  do  believe."  And  this  form  of 
interrogation  is  the  apostle  thought  to  refer  to  when  he  styles  baptism 
"  The  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God."  And  our  own  Office  of 
Baptism  does  exactly  agree  in  this  with  the  primitive  practice.  Then  was 
he  stripped  of  his  garments,  intimating  thereby  "  the  putting  off  the  old 
man,"  and  thrice  plunged  under  water  at  the  naming  of  the  Three  Persons 
in  the  blessed  Trinity.  The  ancients  carefully  observed  this  trine  immer- 
sion, as  being  so  expressive  a  ceremony  of  the  Three  Persons  in  the 
Godhead ;  insomuch  that  by  the  Canons  Apostolical,  either  bishop  or 
presbyter  who  baptized  without  it  was  deposed  from  the  ministry.  Can. 
50.  Though  this  trine  immersion,  not  being  of  absolute  necessity,  was 
laid  aside  in  Spain  by  the  Church,  that  they  might  not  seem  to  gratify  the 
Arians,  who  made  use  of  it  to  denote  the  Persons  in  the  Trinity  to  be 
three  distinct  substances,  and  gloried  that  the  Catholics  used  it  to  denote 
the  same.  The  person  baptized,  being  come  out  of  the  water,  was  clothed 
with  a  white  garment,  hence  that  expression  of  putting  on  Christ ;  and  from 
these  white  garments  our  Whitsunday.  The  putting  on  this  white  vesture, 
the  exorcism,  and  the  unction,  are  all  in  the  Liturgy  of  Edward  the  Sixth, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  ancients.  Though  we  find  none  of  these, 
nor  many  other  things  mentioned  here  by  Justin,  no  not  the  cross  in 
baptism,  which  we  are  sure  was  a  constant  ceremony ;  for  Tertullian  says 
that  the  devil  signed  his  soldiers  in  the  forehead,  in  imitation  of  the 
Christians,  "  Mithra  signat  iUic  in  frontibus  milites  suos,"  Ter.  de  Prcescrip, 
c.  40.  And  St.  Augustin  says  that  the  cross  and  baptism  were  never  parted, 
"Semper  enim  cruci  baptismus  jungitur,"  Aug,  Temp,  Ser.  loi. 


(76)     The  First  Apology  of  Jtistin  Martyr. 

wool.  But  if  you  refuse  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be  devoured  with 
the  sword :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it "  (Isa. 
i.  16-20). 

LXXX.  The  reason  of  this  we  have  from  the  apostles ;  for 
having  nothing  to  do  in  our  first  birth,  but  being  begotten  by 
necessity,  or  without  our  own  consent,  and  trained  up  also  in 
vicious  customs  and  company,  to  the  end  therefore  we  might 
continue  no  longer  the  children  of  necessity  and  ignorance, 
but  of  freedom  and  knowledge,  and  obtain  remission  of  our 
past  sins  by  virtue  of  this  water,  the  penitent,  who  now  makes 
his  second  birth  an  act  of  his  own  choice,  has  called  over  him 
the  name  of  God  the  Father  and  Lord  of  all  things ;  (when 
we  conduct  the  person  to  be  baptized  to  the  place  of  baptism 
we  call  God  by  no  other  name,  because  we  have  not  any 
appellation  for  the  ineffable  majesty  of  God  that  can  explain 
His  nature ;  and  if  any  man  pretends  to  that,  we  think  him  mad 
in  the  highest  degree.  This  baptism  is  called  ilium ination,i 
because  the  minds  of  the  catechumens  who  are  thus  washed 
are  illuminated ;)  and  moreover  the  person  baptized  and  illu- 
minated is  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  Who  was 

^  "Illumination."  Baptism  was  called  by  many  names,  as  x,"-("'l^'^> 
(ha-rrifffio.,  'A(p6ap(ria(  'itihu/ia,  Aourpon  vaXiyytwrKrias,  ^ipfayiia,  iurifffiiv,  etc. 
Grace,  baptism,  the  vestment  of  incorruption,  the  laver  of  regeneration, 
the  seal,  illumination,  etc.,  Nazian.  de  Baptis.  ;  the  great  variety  of  these 
denominations  flowing  from  the  several  benefits  occurring  thereby.  The 
most  noble  of  these  is  what  Justin  calls  here  ♦&;T/«r^6»,  or  Illumination,  to 
which  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (vi.  4)  is  thought  to  refer 
in  the  word  "  enlightened. "  It  is  styled  illumination,  first,  as  Justin  says, 
because  the  understandings  of  those  who  are  catechised  antecedent  to  it  are 
enlightened.  Secondly,  Because  it  is  our  first  entrance  into  Christianity, 
and  Christ  is  rl  (pSf,  that  supereminent  Light  "  which  lighteth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  the  world,"  those  especially  who  are  born  again  by 
baptism;  He  being,  as  Nazianzen  calls  Him,  "the  same  to  the  intellect 
as  the  sun  to  the  sense."  And,  thirdly,  because  the  prince  of  darkness 
was  usually  driven  out  by  exorcism  to  make  way  for  Christ,  "  the  true 
Light." 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr,     ('j']) 

crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate,^  and  in  the  name  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Who  spake  by  the  prophets,  and  foretold  everything 
concerning  Christ. 

LXXXI.  The  devils  no  sooner  heard  of  this  baptism  spoken 

^  'E5rov»j£«a^£r«/  o'»»;£ta,just  before  the  parenthesis,  and  ifr'  otofiams  Xovirai, 
just  after,  are  expressions  which  import  the  same.  Now  that  which  I 
remark  from  this  passage  of  Justin  Martyr  is,  that  the  very  form  of  baptism 
instituted  by  our  Lord  Himself  is  here  enlarged,  for  thus  it  runs — t-r  avifiK- 
To;  rou  narpof  oXtv  *a/  ei(T'roT/)U  hov,  xa)  Inirou  'S.piffrov,  tou  (Travps^iVTos  £^i 
TIovTiou  HiXecTtu  xa/  TvivfimcTos  Ayiov  o  oia.  Ilpu(p>iTaii  ^pomripv^t  tk  xara  rov 
'inroZv  "riiTo. :  "In  the  name  of  the  Father  of  all  things,  the  Lord  God, 
and  of  Jesus  Christ,  Who  was  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Who  foretold  by  the  prophets  all  things  concerning  Christ." 
In  the  Clementine  Constitutions  the  form  of  baptism  stands  thus,  \-r 
ovoficcroi  Tov  avctmiXavTo;  Xlarpo;,  rou  IxSid/tos  'X.pin'Tov,  rou  f^aprupriffivros 
UapaxX^nrov,  Clem.  Constit.  lib.  vii.,  "In  the  name  of  the  Father,  Who  sent ; 
of  Christ,  Who  came  j  and  of  the  Comforter,  Who  bore  witness."  Now  as 
different  heresies  arose,  so  they  gave  occasion  for  different  paraphrases  and 
enlargements,  both  in  the  form  of  baptism  and  the  Creed.  And  this  is 
the  true  reason  why  the  Apostles'  Creed  is  the  simplest  and  shortest  of 
any;  for  it  is  evident  that  the  Simonians,  Cerinthians,  Ebionites,  etc., 
scattered  their  heresies  not  at  Rome,  but  in  the  East,  and  mostly  in  Asia. 
And  accordingly  Ignatius,  in  his  epistles  to  the  Asiatic  Churches,  does 
everywhere  almost  inveigh  against  the  heretics,  but  commends  the  Romans 
for  the  purity  of  their  faith.  And  Tertullian,  in  his  Prcescription,  c.  36, 
calls  the  Roman  Church  "Statu  faslicem  Ecclesiam."  From  thence  I 
cannot  but  take  notice  of  the  reasons  of  some  great  men  against  the 
antiquity  of  that  which  is  commonly  called  the  Apostles'  Creed.  They 
say,  "That  none  of  the  first  writers  agree  in  delivering  their  faith  in  a 
certain  form  of  words,  and  that  therefore  from  thence  it  is  clear  that  there 
was  no  common  form  delivered  to  all  the  Churches  ;  and  if  there  had  been 
any  tradition  after  the  times  of  the  Council  of  Nice,  of  such  a  Creed  com- 
posed by  the  apostles,  the  Arians  had  certainly  put  the  chief  strength  of 
their  cause  on  this,  that  they  adhered  to  the  Apostles'  Creed  in  opposition 
to  the  innovations  of  the  Nicene  Fathers.  And  that  there  is  no  reason 
therefore  to  believe  that  this  Creed  was  prepared  by  the  apostles,  or  that 
it  was  of  any  great  antiquity."  The  same  sort  of  reasoning  has  Vossius 
made  use  of,  de  tryb.  Symbol.  But  now  it  is  confessed  on  all  sides  that  in 
St.  Paul's  time  there  was  a  settled  form  in  most  Churches,  which  he  calls 

Q 


(yS)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

of  by  the  prophet,^  but  they  too  set  up  their  baptisms,  and 
made  such  as  go  to  their  temples,  and  officiate  in  their  liba- 
tions and  meat-offerings,  first  sprinkle  themselves  with  water 
by  way  of  lustration  ;  ^  and  they  have  now  brought  it  to  such 
a  pass  that  the  worshippers  are  washed  from  head  to  foot 
before  they  approach  the  sacred  place  where  their  images  are 
kept.  And  whereas  their  adorers  are  commanded  by  priests 
to  put  off  their  shoes  before  they  presume  to  enter  the  temples 

"the  form  of  doctrine  that  was  delivered"  (Rom.  vi.  17),  and  in  another 
place,  "  the  form  of  sound  words"  (2  Tim.  i.  13).  It  is  certain  also,  that 
the  Primitive  Church,  not  far  distant  from  the  apostolic  age,  had  a  Creed 
resembling  this,  which  passes  for  the  Apostles',  as  to  most  particulars, 
and  the  substance  of  the  articles,  though  with  some  variation,  as  is  evident 
from  Tertullian's  Regula  Fidei.  Vide  Tertul.  de  vel.  virg.  et  Cypr. 
Epist.  7  and  Epist.  70.  And  if  we  consider  the  manner  of  the  Fathers, 
and  Justin  in  particular,  in  citing  even  canonical  Scripture,  which  was 
not  always  to  consult  the  originals,  but  often  to  deliver  it  in  such  words 
as  their  memory  suggested,  provided  they  preserved  the  sense  entire, 
we  may  conclude  that  from  the  same  liberty  in  citing  the  Confession  of 
Faith  arose  the  diversity  in  creeds.  And  with  all  submission,  I  think  that 
the  men  who  argue  against  the  antiquity  of  the  Apostles'  Creed  from 
the  variations  among  the  Fathers,  may  as  well  argue  against  a  set  form 
in  baptism  from  this  variation  in  Justin  Martyr.  As  heresies  grew,  so 
did  the  Creed,  and  the  Fathers  may  with  as  good  reason  be  presumed  to 
enlarge  the  Apostles'  Creed  with  explanatory  additions  only,  as  here  we 
find  the  form  of  baptism,  fixed  by  Christ  Himself,  enlarged  in  the  time  of 
this  martyr  ;  but  the  form  is  the  same  in  substance  or  essentials ;  and  the 
great  Creed  is  called  the  Nicene,  though  many  things  were  added  to  it  by 
the  Council  of  Constantinople,  and  some  things  since. 

^  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25. 

3  That  such  mock-baptisms  were  set  up  by  the  contrivance  of  the  devil 
in  the  Gentile  world,  we  find  not  only  asserted  by  Justin,  but  all  the 
primitive  writers,  and  particularly  by  Tertullian,  de  Baptisino,  c.  5,  "Certe 
ludis  ApoUinaribus  et  Eleusiniis  tinguntur,  idque  se  in  regenerationem  et 
impunitatem  perjuriorum  suorum  agere  prsesumunt."  Thus  were  men 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Eleusis,  and  he  who  initiated  them  was 
called  'tlfu^oi,  the  watercr ;  "ttfail?  i  kytivrni  t&;»  'EXst/o-zv/^v,  Hesych.  Thus 
again  we  learn  from  Tertullian  that  they  initiated  men  into  the  rites  of  Isis 
and  Mithra,    "  Nam  et  sacris  quibusdam  per  lavacrum  initiantur  Isidis 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (79) 

to  worship  these  demons,^  this  is  evidently  done  to  mimic  what 
they  found  commanded  the  propliet  Moses  ;  for  while  Moses 
was  feeding  the  sheep  of  his  father-in-law  in  Arabia,  he  was 
commanded  to  go  down  into  Egypt,  and  to  bring  out  the 
people  of  Israel ;  and  our  Christ  talked  with  him  out  of  the 
bush  in  the  appearance  of  fire,  and  said,  "  Put  off  thy  shoes, 
and  come  and  hear  "  (Ex.  iii.  5).  And  accordingly  he  put  off 
his  shoes,  and  went  and  heard  that  he  was  to  go  down  into 
Egypt,  and  conduct  the  Israelites  from  thence ;  and  being 
appointed  with  prodigious  power  by  that  Christ  Who  conversed 
with  him  out  of  the  bush  of  fire,  he  went  and  brought  the 
people  out,  doing  great  and  astonishing  actions ;  the  particulars 
of  which,  if  you  have  a  mind  to  it,  you  may  exactly  see  in  his 
own  writings. 

LXXXII.  But  all  the  modern  Jews  teach  that  it  was  the 
unnameable  God  who  thus  conversed  with  Moses,  upon  which 
account  the  prophetic  Spirit,  by  the  mouth  of  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  reprehends  them  in  these  words  already  quoted,  "  The 
ox  knoweth  the  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib  ;  but  Israel 
doth  not  know  me,  My  people  hath  not  understood  me " 
(Isa.  i.  3).  And  because  the  Jews  were  ignorant  what  the 
Father  and  the  Son  were,  Jesus  Christ  Himself  thus  corrects 
them,  "  No  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  nor  the 
Son,  but  them  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  Him "  (Matt, 
xi.  27).  But  as  I  have  said,  the  Logos  of  God  is  His  Son,  and 
is  also  called  Angel  and  Apostle  ;  for  He  Himself  did  deliver, 

alicujus  et  Mithrte,"  de  Bapt.  c.  5  ;  the  chief  priest  of  that  goddess  (as 
Apuleius  describes  his  own  initiation),  Milesi.  II.  citat.  a  Seldeno  de 
success,  ad  leg.  Habr.  c.  26,  leading  the  party  to  be  initiated  to  the  next 
bath,  where  having  first  delivered  him  to  the  usual  washing,  and  asked 
pardon  of  the  goddess,  he  sprinkled  him  all  about,  and  bringing  him  back 
to  the  temple,  after  two  parts  of  the  day  were  spent,  placed  him  before 
the  feet  of  the  goddess.  See  more  on  this  subject  in  Grotius  upon  Matt, 
xxviii.  19. 

1   Vid.  Tertul.  Apol.  c.  40. 


(8o)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

as  an  angel  or  messenger,*  what  the  world  was  to  know,  and 
acted  as  an  apostle,  as  one  sent  to  interpret  the  divine  will,  as 
our  Lord  Himself  has  testified,  "  He  that  heareth  me,  heareth 
Him  that  sent  me  "  (Matt.  x.  40).  The  same  is  also  evident 
from  the  Mosaic  writings,  where  we  have  these  words,  "  And 
the  angel  of  God  spake  unto  Moses  in  a  flame  of  fire  out  of 
the  midst  of  a  bush,  and  said,  I  Am  that  I  Am,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  the  God 
of  your  fathers  ;  go  down  into  Egypt,  and  bring  up  My  people 
from  thence"  (Ex.  iii.  2,  14,  15).  If  you  are  desirous  of 
knowing  what  follows,  I  must  refer  you  to  the  Scriptures  them- 
selves, for  it  is  not  possible  to  transcribe  all  into  a  discourse  of 
this  nature. 

LXXXIII.  But  these  words  were  spoken  to  demonstrate  the 
Son  of  God  and  Apostle  to  be  our  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the 
pre-existing  Logos ;  Who  appeared  sometimes  in  the  form  of 
fire,  sometimes  in  the  likeness  of  angels,  and  in  these  last  days 
was  made  man  by  the  will  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  man- 
kind, and  was  contented  to  suffer  what  the  devils  could  inflict 
upon  Him  by  the  infatuated  Jews  ;  who,  notwithstanding  they 
have  these  express  words  in  the  writings  of  Moses,  "  And  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  spake  with  Moses  in  a  flame  of  fire  out  of 
the  bush,  and  said,  I  Am  that  I  Am,  the  Self-existent,  the  God 
of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob ; " 
notwithstanding  this,  I  say,  they  afiirm  these  words  to  be 
spoken  by  God  the  Father  and  Maker  of  all  things.  For 
which  oversight  the  prophetic  Spirit  thus  charges  them,  "  Israel 
hath  not  known  me,  My  people  have  not  understood  me ; " 
and  as  I  have  said,  Jesus  taxed  them  again  for  the  same  thing 
while   He  was    amongst  them,    "  No  man  hath  known    the 

^  Christ  is  called  the  Angel  (Exod.  iii.  2),  but  nowhere  the  Apostle  (as 
Dr.  Grabe  observes),  but  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  iii.  i,  from 
whence  he  justly  concludes  that  this  Epistle  was  known  to,  and  approved 
by,  Justin  Martyr. 


The  First  Apology  of  Jtistin  Martyr.     {81) 

Father  but  the  Son,  nor  the  Son,  but  them  to  Whom  the  Son 
will  reveal  Him."  The  Jews  therefore,  for  maintaining  that 
it  was  the  Father  of  the  universe  Who  had  the  conference 
with  Moses,  when  it  was  the  very  Son  of  God  Who  had  it, 
and  Who  is  styled  both  Angel  and  Apostle,  are  justly  accused 
by  the  prophetic  Spirit,  and  Christ  Himself,  for  knowing  neither 
the  Father  nor  the  Son ;  for  they  who  afiirm  the  Son  to  be 
the  Father  are  guilty  of  not  knowing  the  Father,  and  likewise 
of  being  ignorant  that  the  Father  of  the  universe  has  a  Son, 
Who  being  the  Logos  and  First-begotten  of  God  is  God,^ 
And  He  it  is  Who  heretofore  appeared  to  Moses  and  the 
rest  of  the  prophets,  sometimes  in  fire  and  sometimes  in  the 
form  of  angels  ;  but  now,  under  your  empire,  as  I  mentioned, 
was  born  of  a  virgin,  according  to  the  will  of  His  Father, 
to  such  as  should  believe  in  Him,  and  was  content  to  be 
made  of  no  reputation,  and  to  suffer,  that  by  His  death  and 
resurrection  He  might  conquer  death.  And  whereas  it  was 
said  to  Moses  out  of  the  bush,  "  I  Am  that  I  Am,  the  God 
of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  the 
God  of  your  fathers  ;  "  the  design  of  these  words  is  to  prove 
that,  notwithstanding  these  men  were  dead,  yet  were  they  in  a 
state  of  happiness ;  and  that  Christ  is  the  God  of  these  men, 
and  their  mighty  deliverer ;  for  these  men  of  old  sequestered 
themselves  from  the  world  to  seek  after  God  ;  and  as  Moses 
relates,  Abraham  was  the  father  of  Isaac,  and  Isaac  the  father 
of  Jacob. 

LXXXIV.  Moreover,  that  it  was  a  contrivance  of  the  devils 
to  erect  the  image  of  Kdre  upon  fountains  of  water,  whom  they 
reported  to  be  Jove's  daughter,  to  ape  Moses,  you  may  easily 
collect  from  what  I  have  quoted  before :  "  In  the  beginning 

^  "Who  being  the  Logos,  and  First-begotten  of  God,  x«i  his  v'rdpx'i, 
is  God."  I  desire  to  know  what  the  worst  of  Justin's  adversaries  can  say  to 
this  ;  whether  words  can  be  more  express  for  the  divinity  of  the  Son  than 
»«<  f'.ii  i^dpx^')  "  He  is  the  very  God." 


(82)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr, 

God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  and  the  earth  was 
without  fomi,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face 
of  the  waters,"  In  imitation  of  this  Spirit  moving  upon 
the  waters,  they  set  up  the  idol  Kore  or  Proserpina  upon 
the  waters,  and  gave  her  out  to  be  the  daughter  of  Jove. 
Just  such  another  forgery  was  the  setting  up  Minerva  for 
Jove's  daughter,  not  by  any  carnal  mixture,  but  because 
they  found  that  God,  reflecting  upon  Himself,  made  the  world 
by  His  Logos  or  Wisdom,  they  framed  this  Minerva  to  be 
the  issue  of  Jove's  brain,  or  his  first-begotten  notion.  Though 
I  cannot  but  think  it  extremely  ridiculous  to  represent  the 
notion  of  a  mind  by  the  form  of  a  woman.  In  like  manner, 
the  actions  which  are  attributed  to  the  sons  of  Jove  evidently 
proves  the  sons  to  be  of  the  same  stamp  with  the  daughters. 

LXXXV.  After  the  believer  is  baptized,  and  so  incorporated 
or  made  one  with  us,  we  lead  him  to  the  congregation  of  the 
brethren,  as  we  call  them,  and  then  with  great  fervency  pour 
out  our  souls  in  common  prayers  ^  both  for  ourselves,  for  the 

^  y^oi'ia;  ii/^ai  ^oi»<rcifiivoi — Ttavroc^eu  -rivruv  ivtovus.  They  are  Called 
common  prayers,  because  the  whole  congregation  did  join  with  the  bishop 
in  them.  This  therefore  must  be  a  set  form  of  prayer,  or  else  they  could 
not  join  in  it  ;  and  therefore  St.  Cyprian,  speaking  of  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
which  was  that  form  which  the  whole  congregation  repeated  together,  says, 
"  Publica  est  nobis  et  communis  oratio  :  a  public  and  common  prayer  is 
in  use  among  us."  Cypr.  de  Orat.  Doniin.  What  this  form  of  prayer 
was,  Justin  does  not  tell  us,  but  he  tells  us  in  general,  "  that  they  prayed 
for  themselves,  for  the  person  baptized,  and  for  all  others  all  the  world 
over,"  etc.  More  particulars  of  this  Liturgy  you  may  see  quoted  out  of 
the  Apostolic  Constitutions  by  Dr.  Grabe  in  his  notes  upon  this  place.  But 
I  observe  that  Irenseus  is  as  shy  as  Justin  of  publishing  the  forms  in  any 
of  the  Christian  Offices,  though  he  speaks  both  of  baptism  and  of  the 
Eucharist,  and  of  the  prayers  and  praises  there  in  general.  Only  when 
some  heretics  had  drawn  false  conclusions  from  the  Doxology  to  support 
their  own  opinions  he  is  forced  to  say,  'AXXa  xa)  h/^as  i-pr)  ras  iv^apKrrias 
xiyovTus,  us  roiii  a'luvas  rusi  a'luvuv,  "  They  allege  that  we  in  our  thanks- 
givings do  say,  world  without  end."  Iren.  at/  adv.  Har.  1.  i,  c.  i.  p.  16. 


The  First  Apology  of  J7istin  Martyr.     {^'^) 

person  baptized,  and  for  all  others  all  the  world  over ;  that 
having  embraced  the  truth,  our  conversation  might  be  as 
becometh  the  Gospel,  and  that  we  may  be  found  doers  of  the 
world,  and  so  at  length  be  saved  with  an  everlasting  salvation. 
Prayers  being  over,  we  salute  each  other  with  a  kiss.^     After 

From  hence  we  may  conclude  that  in  Irenaeus's  time,  a.d.  179,  the  Chris- 
tians praised  God  in  public  by  this  very  form  which  we  now  use,  "  Glory 
be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost  :  as  it  was  in  the 
beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world  without  end.  Amen."  And 
Tertullian,  in  his  Apology,  frequently  says,  "We  pray  for  the  emperors 
and  their  ministers,  for  secular  potentates,"  etc.  And  Clement  says,  "  Let 
the  deacon  pray  for  the  universal  Church,  the  whole  world,  for  the  priests 
and  governors,  for  the  chief  priests  and  kings,  and  the  general  peace," 
Constit,  1,  2,  c.  51.  And  to  mention  but  one  more  ;  Cyril,  declaring  the 
practice  of  his  time  at  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist,  says  thus,  Wi  ras 
6v<rias  ixiivns  rav  'iXairfiov,  etc.  "  Over  this  propitiatory  sacrifice  we  call 
upon  God  for  the  general  peace  of  all  Churches,  for  the  tranquillity  of  the 
world,  for  emperors,  their  armies,  and  all  that  fight  for  them,"  Catech.  10. 
Now  that  which  I  would  infer  from  these  quotations  is  this,  that  the 
primitive  Fathers  could  not  have  insisted  upon  these  particulars,  as  a  proof 
of  the  Christian  loyalty,  and  universal  charity,  if  they  had  not  constantly 
made  these  things  the  subjects  of  their  prayers  ;  and  if  they  had  used 
no  stated  forms,  extempore  prayer  had  been  too  various  and  uncertain  to 
have  been  a  proof  in  this  or  any  other  case. 

^  The  dyd,-ra.t  OX  love-feasts,  which  at  first  were  always  joined  with  the 
Eucharist,  degenerating  into  abuse  and  scandal  (which  were  the  spots 
perhaps  St.  Jude  alludes  to),  were  soon  laid  aside  in  the  Greek  Church,  and 
probably  in  the  time  of  Justin,  because  he  says  nothing  of  them  ;  and  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated  in  the  morning  fasting.  Though  it  is  certain 
these  feasts  continued  in  the  African  Church  till  TertuUian's  time,  as  you 
will  find  in  his  Apology,  c.  39.  However,  that  the  blessed  communion 
might  still  lay  claim  to  the  title  of  a  love-feast,  it  was  attended  with  cere- 
monies of  the  like  import ;  whence  upon  the  entrance  into  this  holy 
mystery  the  deacon  was  appointed  to  cry  aloud,  i^'/i  ns  Kctra  rUos,  "  Let  no 
man  be  at  strife  one  with  another."  And  this  proclamation  once  past, 
the  holy  kiss  and  embraces  immediately  followed,  aXkriXous  (fiX^/^aTi 
dtrTa^ofit^ei  Ta,vffciy,'.v/ii  ruv  il^Mv,  that  is,  "  Prayers  ended,  we  salute  one 
another  with  an  holy  kiss ; "  but  dxx^Xous  oi  uv^pts,  xai  aXXriXa;  al 
yvvccTxis,  "  Men  salute  men,  and  women  women,  and  the  clergy  the 
bishop,"  as  the  Constitutions  have  it,  1.  ii.   c.   57.      And  it  could  not 


(84)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

this,  bread  and  a  cup  of  wine  and  water  are  brought  to  the 
president  or  bishop,^  which  he  takes,  and  offers  up  praise  and 

indeed  be  well  otherwise,   considering   the   different   apartments  in   the 
church  for  each  sex.     Const.  Apost.  1.  ii.  c.  57. 

■*  'EiTs/ra  '!r(o(T(p'i(i'ra.i  rZ  'SfoitruTt  ruv  aSiXtpZv,  The  9efOi<f<rus,  and  the 
Probati  Seniores  in  Tertullian,  Apol.  c.  39,  and  the  Majores  Natu  in  St. 
Cyprian,  Epist.  75,  were  undoubtedly  bishops,  and  so  the  a/  -prpoKrruri; 
^pifflOiripoi  in  St.  Paul,  i  Tim.  v.  17,  which  we  translate,  though  I  think 
not  well,  "  ruling  elders,"  were  the  same  with  •rpoiffras  in  Justin ;  such  elders 
as  had  the  power  "  Baptizandi  et  manuum  imponendi  et  ordinandi :  of 
baptizing,  confirming,  and  ordaining,"  as  Cyprian  assures  us,  privileges 
never  pretended  to  at  that  time  by  lay  elders.  Nor  were  they  presbyters 
as  distinct  from  bishops,  but  bishops  in  chief,  and  presbyters  in  a  fraternal 
consociation :  for  thus  the  same  Father,  Epist.  6,  "  a  primordio  Epis- 
copates mei  statui  nihil  sine  consilio  vestro  privata  sententia  gerere  ; 
from  the  beginning  of  my  episcopate  I  resolved  to  do  nothing  of  my  own 
head  without  your  advice ; "  which  shows  that  the  presbyters  were 
admitted  as  joint-commissioners,  but  did  nothing  without  leave  from  the 
bishop  ;  for  without  his  leave  neither  Presbyters  nor  deacons  were  per- 
mitted to  baptize,  except  in  cases  of  necessity,  as  not  only  Ignatius  but 
Tertullian  expressly  tells  us,  Epist.  ad  Smyrtieos,  p.  6  ;  Tert.  de  Bapt. 
c.  17,  p.  230.  And  we  find  in  Tertullian  that  they  never  received  the 
sacrament  but  from  the  hand  of  the  president,  de  Cor.  Mil.  c.  3,  p.  102, 
which  must  either  be  understood  of  the  particular  custom  of  the  African 
Church,  or  of  consecration  only.  For  here  in  Justin  Martyr  we  find  that 
when  the  bishop  or  president  had  consecrated  the  sacramental  elements  by 
solemn  prayers  and  blessings,  the  custom  was  for  the  deacon  to  distribute 
them  to  the  people,  both  to  the  absent  as  well  as  present.  See  more 
of  the  word  7rpoiiT--u)i  in  that  excellent  treatise  of  Dean  Hickes  concerning 
"The  Dignity  of  the  Episcopal  Order,"  p.  182.  -jtoTripioi  H^aros  x,«.\ 
Kpa.f/.a.toi,  etc.  That  wine  mixed  with  water  was  constantly  made  use  of  by 
the  primitive  Christians  is  beyond  dispute  from  this  passage,  and  likewise 
from  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  Irenaeus,  1.  v,  c.  2.  The  reason  of  this 
mixture  was  partly  in  imitation  of  our  Saviour's  act  in  the  first  institution  of 
the  Eucharist,  agreeable  to  the  custom  of  that  warm  climate,  which  used  to 
temper  the  heat  of  the  wine  with  water ;  and  partly  because  that  when 
our  Saviour's  side  was  pierced  with  a  lance,  there  issued  out  both  water 
and  blood  (John  xix.  34).  And  agreeable  to  this  primitive  practice,  "  a  little 
pure  and  clear  water  "  was  put  into  the  chalice  of  wine  at  the  Reformation,  as 
you  may  see  in  the  Rubric  of  the  Communion  Office  of  the  first  Common 
Prayer-Book  of  Edward  VI.     The  bread  and  the  wine  and  water,  <rpi>ff(pipiTai 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (85) 

glory  to  the  Father  of  all  things,  through  the  name  of  His 
Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  this  thanksgiving  ^  to  God  for 

riL  ^poierari, ' '  are  brought  to  the  bishop, "  These  words  seem  to  me  to  make 
for  that  practice  which  Dr.  Hickes,  with  such  incomparable  zeal  and 
learning,  argues  for  in  his  preface  against  "  the  Rights;"  for  he  tells  us, 
"  that  in  the  alterations  made  in  the  Office  for  administering  the  Lord's 
Supper,  in  King  Edward  VI. 's  Service-Book,  the  Rubric  was  left  out, 
which  commanded  the  minister  'to  set  the  bread  and  wine  upon  the  altar,' 
as  an  offering  ;  but  this  Rubric  was  restored  in  the  Office  for  the  Church  of 
Scotland,  and  likewise  in  the  Office  of  Holy  Communion  of  our  present 
Liturgy,  established  by  the  Act  of  Uniformity  after  the  Restoration."  And 
having  justly  censured  the  general  neglect  of  this  act,  and  the  great 
indecency  of  having  the  bread  and  wine  placed  upon  our  Lord's  table  by 
the  clerk,  sexton,  or  perhaps  some  unfitter  person,  he  adds,  "that  this 
practice  of  the  officiating  priests  setting  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  sight  of 
the  people,  with  reverence  upon  the  holy  table,  was  so  inviolably  observed 
in  ancient  times,  that  they  had  in  their  churches  a  buffet  or  sideboard  on 
the  right  or  left  hand  of  the  altar,  upon  which  a  priest  or  deacon  set  the 
bread  and  wine,  from  whence  they  were  carried  by  the  deacon  or  priest, 
when  there  were  two,  to  the  officiating  priest,  who  reverently  placed  them 
as  an  offering  on  the  Lord's  table."  This  sideboard  for  the  elements  and 
holy  vessels  was  called  in  the  Greek  Church  -rpihffis,  in  the  Latin  Church 
Paratorium,  and  in  Italy  Credenza,  in  France  Credence.  And  this  ancient 
Credenza  or  side-table  was  made  one  article  against  Archbishop  Laud,  to 
prove  that  he  endeavoured  "  to  subvert  God's  true  religion  by  law  estab- 
lished in  this  realm,  and  instead  thereof  to  set  up  popish  superstition  and 
idolatry."  But  I  refer  you  to  the  excellent  preface  aforesaid,  pp.  52,  53, 
etc.,  where  you  will  find  this  at  large,  with  many  other  discoveries  truly 
valuable. 

^  Our  blessed  Saviour  at  the  institution  of  the  Sacrament  is  said  to  have 
taken  bread  and  wine  and  blessed  them,  ilxoyrnrai,  xai  ilx,o!.(nrri\(ra,i  (Matt. 
xxvi.  26,  27  ;  Mark  xiv.  22,  23),  but  the  form  of  blessing  is  not  recorded 
by  the  evangelists,  nor  any  of  the  apostles.  However,  the  primitive  Fathers 
concluded  that  Christ  did  as  the  Jews  were  wont  to  do  ;  the  Passover  was 
a  sacrifice,  and  therefore  the  viands  here,  as  in  all  other  feasts,  were  first 
offered  to  God.  Now  the  bread  and  wine  which  our  Saviour  took,  when 
He  blessed  and  gave  thanks,  was  the  Mincha,  or  meat-offering  of  the 
Passover.  If,  then,  Christ  did  as  the  Jews  used  to  do.  He  agnized  His 
Father,  and  blessed  Him,  by  oblation  of  these  His  creatures  unto  Him ; 
using  the  like  or  the  same  form  of  words,  "  Blessed  be  Thou,  O  Lord  our 
God,  the  King  of  the  world,  Which  bringest  forth  bread  out  of  the  earth  : " 


(86)     The  First  Apology  of  Jtistin  Martyr. 

vouchsafing  us  worthy  of  these  His  creatures,  is  a  prayer  ot 
more  than  ordinary  length.  When  the  bishop  has  finished 
the  prayers  and  the  thanksgiving  service,^  all  the  people  present 

and  over  the  wine,  "  Blessed  be  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  the  King  of  the 
world,  Which  Greatest  the  fruit  of  the  vine."  Vide  Mede,  p.  375,  and  Dr. 
Grabe's  notes  upon  this  place.  In  the  Christian  sacrifice  there  were  two 
distinct  parts,  the  ivx'^P'<^T'"',  "Thanksgiving"  to  God  for  His  good 
creatures  of  bread  and  wine  ;  and  ilxoyix,  "  Invocation  "  of  His  blessing 
upon  them.  That  these  two  were  distinct  things,  the  consecration  of  the 
elements  made  with  thanksgiving,  not  by  it,  but  with  blessing  joined  with 
thanksgiving,  in  one  continued  prayer,  or  in  two  distinct  forms  ;  this, 
I  say,  is  evident  both  from  Justin  in  his  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  and  from 
this  place  ;  in  his  Dialogue  he  describes  the  Eucharist  or  thanksgiving 
part  thus,  'O  x.upio;  ^a^sS&ixs,  'Ivet  afia.  te  ih^afiffrui^i)/  ru  hu  iva  rod  rit 
Hoo'f^ov  i»ri!civa.i  iruv  -rocffi  ro7;  \v  ahru  oia  rh  tivifo'rov,  xxi  uvo  rod  a,<?ro  rrt; 
xaxlas  sv  n  yiymif/.'.v  IXivhpaKivai  ri/ia;,  Kui  ru;  ap^^u;,  xa)  to,;  i^ot/fficcs, 
xaTaXtXuxivai  nXiiav  xara.Xvo'iv  iia,  rou  fahrou  yi\io[i'nou  xccra  rri*  fiovXriv 
ahrov,  "  The  Lord  hath  commanded  that  together  we  should  give  thanks 
to  God  for  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  all  things  therein  for  the  benefit 
of  man  ;  and  for  delivering  us  from  the  misery  wherein  we  were  born,  and 
for  His  destroying  principalities  and  powers  with  a  perfect  destruction,  by 
Plim  Who  suffered  according  to  His  will."  And  elsewhere  he  says,  "  That 
prayers  and  thanksgivings  made  by  those  that  are  worthy  are  the  only 
sacrifices  that  are  perfect  and  acceptable."  And  these  he  says  (speaking 
of  the  Eucharist)  tTt  dva.[4.n<rii  Ss  rns  Tpo^ra  ahrZv  ^'/tpas  n  xa)  uypag, 
iv  n  xa)  rod  -rKSou;  0  ^i-rovh  S/'  aurou  0  his  rod  hod  fiifivrirai.  "  In  that 
thankful  remembrance  of  their  food  both  dry  and  wet,  wherein  also  is 
commemorated  the  passion  which  the  God  of  God  suffered  by  Himself." 
And  so  again  in  this  place  of  the  Apology,  ivxapurrlxv  -rpo  rod  xo!.T^%iufffa,i 
rovrut,  etc.  ' '  That  God  did  vouchsafe  them  worthy  of  bread  and 
wine."  So  that  in  the  Eucharist  we  have  a  twofold  commemoration  ;  the 
one  of  our  meat  and  drink,  by  agnizing  and  recording  God  to  be  the 
Lord  and  Giver  of  the  same,  in  opposition  to  those  heretics  who  denied 
Him  to  be  the  Maker  of  the  world  ;  the  other  an  'Ava^vjjir/j,  or  commemora- 
tion, in  the  same  bread  and  wine,  of  the  passion  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  but 
for  a  fuller  explanation  of  this  I  refer  to  the  Great  Duty  of  frequenting 
the  Christian  Sacrifice,  written  by  the  author  of  The  Fasts  and  Festivals. 
As  to  the  luXoyloc,  the  invocation  of  a  blessing  or  consecratory  part,  I  shall 
speak  of  that  presently, 

^  Evxas  xa.)  rh  ivx'^f'o'riccv.     Here,  besides  the  thanksgiving  or  prayer 
Eucharistical,  we  find  other  prayers,  but  what  they  were  Justin  says  not, 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (87) 

conclude  with  an  audible  voice,  saying  Amen.^  Now  Amen 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is,    "So  it  be."      The  Eucharistical 

but  no  doubt  he  means  the  prayer  of  consecration  ;  for  when  Christ  so 
solemnly  took  bread  and  wine,  lixoynfa-i,  "  calling  upon  God  for  His 
blessing;"  xat  ivxa^fiaTiaai,  "and  giving  thanks,"  and  commanding  this 
to  be  done  in  remembrance  of  Him  until  His  second  coming  ;  it  cannot 
be  supposed,  I  say,  that  He  used  a  common  form  of  grace,  as  at  other 
ordinary  meals,  but  had  a  peculiar  form,  with  relation  to  those  ends  for 
which  He  instituted  this  holy  feast.  Accordingly  all  the  ancient  Liturgies, 
not  to  mention  that  of  Basil  or  Chrysostom  ;  the  Clementine  Constitu- 
tions, elder  than  both,  are  very  express  to  this  purpose,  where,  having 
premised  the  words  of  institution,  he  adds  :  'A|;ot/^£v  ai,  o-xui  ivfuvZ; 
i-riflXiv)!;  Wi  rcc  ^poKslfiC-tva  ieUpa  raurcc  iv&i'rtov  irou,  ffu  o  avfvSsris  ho;-  na)  xara- 
■rtfti^fji  TO  ayiov  aov  'Ti'viUf/.a.  Itti  rhv  6v(ria,t  ravrnv  /Jt-afrvf/a,  ruv  vu6ytfx,a.ruv  mu 
xvfiov  Ititrov  o'jras  a'jrofrivri  tov  apTov  ffufta  toZ  'X.pitrTou  ffov  xa/  to  iroT'Apiov  roura 
aifAK  ToZ  Xpiirrou  sou,  etc.  "  We  beseech  Thee  that  Thou  wouldest 
graciously  be  pleased  to  look  down  upon  these  oblations  presented  before 
Thee,  Thou  God  that  wantest  nothing,  and  send  down  Thy  Holy  Spirit 
upon  this  sacrifice,  commemorative  of  the  sufferings  of  our  Lord  Jesus, 
that  this  bread  may  be  unto  us  the  body  of  Thy  Christ,  and  this  cup  the 
blood  of  Thy  Christ."  Agreeable  to  this  primitive  form  of  invocation  is 
that  in  the  Scotch  and  English  Liturgy  in  the  First  Book  of  Edward  VI., 
where,  after  these  words,  "  Hear  us,  O  merciful  Father,  we  beseech  Thee," 
it  follows,  "And  with  Thy  Holy  Spirit  and  Word  vouchsafe  to  bless  and 
sanctify  these  Thy  creatures  and  gifts  of  bread  and  wine,  that  they  may  be 
unto  us  the  body  and  blood  of  Thy  most  dearly  beloved  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
Who  in  the  same  night,"  etc. 

1  TLcc?  0  Xaoi  l!r£i/ip»x«/  //.iyav  'a^jJv.  Here  we  see  that  the  president 
alone  pronounced  the  prayer,  and  the  people  ended  with  the  acclamation 
of  Amen  ;  which  further  proves  it  to  be  the  consecrating  prayer,  which 
none  but  the  minister  had  authority  to  pronounce.  For,  as  Dr.  Potter 
observes  in  his  learned  discourse  of  Cliurch  Government,  p.  249,  "  In 
the  former  prayers  the  people  repeated  xoiv^  -ravrts  "  (as  Justin  has  it),  "all 
together,"  following  the  minister,  and  for  a  proof  of  this  he  refers  to  the 
ancient  Liturgies,  particularly  to  the  Apostolic  Constitutions,  1.  viii.  c.  6, 
8,  9,  1 1,  and  elsewhere.  And  moreover  adds,  that  ' '  this  distinction  seems 
to  be  made  in  Scripture,  where,  when  our  Lord  consecrates  the  Eucharist, 
He  alone  is  said  to  bless  or  to  give  thanks  ;  whereas  in  the  Acts  iv.  24, 
when  prayer  is  made,  wherein  the  whole  assembly  are  equally  concerned, 
we  are  told,  'they  lift  up  their  voice  with  one  accord.'"  And  this  I 
the  rather   take   notice  of,  because  I  generally  find  the  common  people 


(88)     The  First  Apology  of  JiLstin  Martyr. 

office  being  thus  performed  by  the  bishop,  and  concluded 
with  the  acclamation  of  all  the  people,  those  we  call  deacons 
distribute  to  every  one  present  to  partake  of  this  Eucharistical 
bread  and  wine  and  water,  and  then  they  carry  it  to  the 
absent.^ 

LXXXVL  This  food  we  call  the  Eucharist,^  of  which  none 
are  allowed  to  be  partakers,  but  such  only  as  are  true  be- 

ignorantly  joining  not  only  in  the  consecration,  but  in  the  absolution  also, 
both  which  are  peculiarly  appropriated  to  the  priestly  office. 

1  "The  deacons  distribute  to  every  one  present,  and  then  carry  it  to  the 
absent."  The  custom  of  turning  their  backs  upon  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
not  known  among  the  faithful  in  lime  of  old  ;  and  those  who  came  to  the 
sermon,  and  went  out  before  the  communion,  were  excommunicated ; 
"  Laid  fideles  Ecclesiam  ingredientes  et  Scripturas  audientes,  si  non  per- 
maneant  in  Precatione,  et  Sacra  Communione  egregantur,"  Can.  Apost.  9. 
In  the  primitive  Church  so  much  bread  and  wine  was  taken  from  a  large 
table  as  the  officiating  priest  judged  sufficient  for  the  communicants. 
These  elements  thus  separated  from  the  rest  were  consecrated,  and  what 
remained  after  the  communion  was  carried  by  the  deacon  to  the  sick,  and 
sent  about  to  absent  friends,  as  pledges  and  tokens  of  love  and  agreement 
in  the  unity  of  the  same  faith.  But  because  this  carrying  the  sacramental 
elements  up  and  down  the  world  was  thought  not  so  well  to  comport  with 
the  reverence  due  to  this  sacred  ordinance,  it  was  abolished  by  the 
Laodicean  Synod  ;  and  the  Eulogise,  or  pieces  of  bread  which  remained  of 
the  offerings  of  the  people,  were  appointed  at  Easter  to  be  sent  up  and 
down  in  their  room,  Can.  14.  One  thing  more  is  too  obvious  not  to  be 
noted  in  this  place,  namely,  that  the  bread  and  wine,  the  communion  in 
both  kinds,  was  given  to  the  laity,  a  practice  so  notorious,  that  even  the 
patrons  of  dry  communion  have  not  the  face  to  deny  it. 

*  "This  food  we  call  the  Eucharist,  of  which  none  are  allowed  to  par- 
take but  true  believers."  It  was  called  the  Eucharist,  because  thanksgiving 
was  made  to  God  for  these  benefits,  and  not  from  any  words  constituting 
consecration,  as  is  commonly  supposed.  Here  likewise  is  another  instance 
of  "  Imperii  in  Imperio,"  of  Church  authority  independent  on  the  civil 
magistrate,  and  visible  in  a  state  of  persecution  ;  which  authority,  there- 
fore, as  it  must  always  enjoy,  so  the  exercise  of  it  must  especially  appear 
when  it  is  resolved  into  such  a  state  again  ;  an  authority  of  letting  in  and 
shutting  out  of  Christian  communion,  according  as  the  spiritual  governors 
judge  of  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  respective  persons. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (89) 

lievers,  and  have  been  baptized  in  the  laver  of  regeneration 
for  the  remission  ot  sins,  and  live  according  to  Christ's  pre- 
cepts ;  for  we  do  not  take  this  as  common  bread  and  common 
wine ;  ^  but  as  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour  was  made  flesh  by  the 

'  "  We  do  not  take  this  as  common  bread  and  wine,"  etc.  Justin  Martyr 
just  before  had  called  the  Eucharistical  food  after  consecration,  barely 
bread  and  wine,  and  here  he  says  it  is  not  common  bread  and  wine,  which 
shows  that  he  thought  it  was  still  so  in  substance ;  and  then  he  goes  on 
to  illustrate  the  sanctification  of  the  elements  by  the  incarnation  of  Christ, 
in  which  the  human  nature  did  not  lose  its  substance  by  its  union  with 
the  divine  ;  so  the  bread  and  wine,  according  to  this  illustration,  do  not 
lose  their  proper  substance  when  they  become  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ.  It  must  be  acknowledged  that  the  ancient  Fathers,  Justin  Martyr 
and  Irenseus  in  particular,  do  teach  that  in  the  Eucharist  the  bread  and 
wine  are  by  or  upon  consecration  made  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ; 
but  then  they  explain  themselves  in  such  a  manner  as  makes  not  the 
least  for  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  Their  notion  in  short  was  this, 
that  as  John  the  Baptist  was  said  to  be  Elias  because  he  was  endued  with 
the  same  spirit  and  power  that  Elias  was,  so  upon  the  sacerdotal  bene- 
diction the  Spirit  of  Christ  or  a  divine  virtue  descends  upon  the  elements, 
and  accompanies  them  to  all  worthy  communicants,  and  therefore  are  said 
to  be  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  the  same  divinity  which  is  hypostati- 
cally  united  to  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  heaven  being  virtually 
united  to  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine  upon  earth.  And  this  I  have 
already  proved  to  be  the  sense  of  all  the  ancient  Liturgies,  wherein  it  is 
prayed,  "  that  God  would  send  down  His  Holy  Spirit  upon  His  creatures 
of  bread  and  wine  in  the  Eucharist."  But  that  transubstantiation  was  a 
thing  never  dreamed  of,  is  evident  from  this  very  passage  of  Justin,  where 
he  says,  \\  n$  a4fia  xa,)  rafKi;  x,ot,ra  fiirccfhoXh^  TpiipavTai  h[^iv,  "  that  OUr 
bodies  are  nourished,  and  that  the  bread  and  wine  are  turned  into  the 
substance  of  our  bodies  ; "  which  to  affirm  of  the  glorified  body  of  Christ 
is  certainly  impious  blasphemy.  Moreover,  our  Justin  in  his  most  excellent 
Dialogue  with  Tryphothejeiv,  tells  him  that  it  was  foretold  by  the  prophets 
that  the  time  was  coming  when  they  should  no  longer  "offer  upon  the  altar 
libations  and  sacrifices  of  blood,"  aXXa  kX-^^ivov;  ko.)  Wiuf/.a.rix.ov;  aUtov;  Ko.) 
fj^a-fitriot,?,  "  but  true  and  spiritual  praises  and  thanksgiving,"  p.  346.  And 
he  says,  likewise,  that  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  sacrament  was  ils  ivxfi- 
vriiriv  Tdv  ruf^iaroTei'^iroKr^at — xa]  t'l;  avoif^vticriv  rov  aiftxroe,  "  in  commemora- 
tion of  His  body  and  blood ;  "  and  that  it  was  generally  styled  by  the 
ancients  avaif/.a.!croi  (vff'ia,  "an  unbloody  sacrifice,"  is  too  notorious  to  be 


(90)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

Logos  of  God,  and  had  real  flesh  and  blood  for  our  salva- 
tion, so  are  we  taught  that  this  food,  which  the  very  same 
Logos  blessed  by  prayer  and  thanksgiving,  is  turned  into  the 
nourishment  and  substance  of  our  flesh  and  blood,^  and  is  in 
some  sense  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  incarnate  Jesus.^  For 
the  apostles,  in  their  commentaries  called  the  Gospels,^  have 
left  this  command  upon  record,  "  That  Jesus  took  bread,  and 

denied  ;  and  if  so,  it  is  not  possible  they  should  conceive  it  to  be  the 
very  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  He  that  desires  to  see  more  upon  this 
subject  may  consult  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  the  place,  and  Bishop  Bull's 
answer  to  the  Bishop  of  Meaux's  letter  to  Mr.  Nelson. 

^  T»iv  S/'  ivy^i  X'oyov  rov  ■^ap'  alrou  iv^afuffrnhlffav  rpo(pnv.  ThlS  passage 
is  something  dark  and  difficult.  Hamon  1' Estrange  translates  it  thus  : 
"  Those  viands  by  which  our  flesh  and  blood  are  nourished  being  blessed 
by  the  prayer  and  thanksgiving  of  the  priest,"  etc.  But  this  cannot  be 
the  literal  translation,  for  here  is  not  one  word  of  a  priest  mentioned,  nor 
a  tittle  of  the  main  difificulty  explained,  which  is,  the  S/  iv^>is  x'oyov  toZ 
•jrap  ocirov.  Dr.  Grabe  thinks  t'/iv  tou  x'oyou  iC^'^v  signifies  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  with  which  the  sacrament  was  always  concluded,  VtiL  note,  p. 
127.  But  the  bread  and  wine  was  not  consecrated  by  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  these  words  seem  to  respect  the  very  act  of  consecration.  Justin  imme- 
diately before  had  said,  that  Jesus  Christ  or  the  Logos  was  made  flesh  by 
the  Logos  of  God,  and  here  he  says  that  the  bread  and  wine  was  made 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  "by  the  prayer  of  the  very  same  Logos," 
where  the  Koyov  roZ  <7ta,p  avrou  seems  to  me  to  be  the  Xoyos  vrpoipopiKos,  or 
external  word  issuing  from  the  substantial  Word  or  Logos  Himself,  and 
then  the  construction  will  be  thus,  S/  tv^'^s  Xoyov  rod  ^ap'  aiirov  x'oyov 
outi&ihovi.  And  this  way  of  speaking  is  very  familiar  with  Justin,  as  you 
may  see  by  Christ's  being  said  to  have  been  made  flesh  by  the  Logos  in 
the  words  just  before. 

*  'Xnsov  Koii  aa.py.ci,  kcu  oJ/ji.a,  iSiiux^iif/.tv.  Dr.  Grabe  upon  these  words 
observes  that  the  Right  Reverend  the  Bishop  of  Sarum  says,  "that  it  is 
not  to  be  denied,  but  that  very  early  both  Justin  Martyr  and  Irenseus 
thought  that  there  was  such  a  sanctification  of  the  elements,  that  there 
was  a  divine  virtue  in  them."     Artie,  xxviii.  p.  334. 

^  The  commentaries  of  the  apostles  called  Gospels.  ' A'pro/nvufiovivficcroc, 
or  commentaries,  were  such  sayings  of  wise  men  as  were  got  by  heart 
and  committed  to  memory,  and  the  Gospels  being  a  summary  of  the  words 
and  actions  of  our  Saviour  so  committed  and  repeated  to  the  amanuenses, 
were  called  ' A'^ef^vn/.i,onv/:i,ee,rei.      Vid.  Dr.  Grabe,  n.  58. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (91) 

when  He  liad  given  thanks,  He  said,  Do  this  in  commemora- 
tion of  Me,  for  this  is  My  body :  and  in  like  manner  He  took 
the  cup,  and  when  He  had  given  thanks,  He  said,  This  is  My 
blood,"  and  delivered  it  to  them  only.^  And  this  very  solemnity, 
too,  the  evil  spirits  have  introduced  in  the  mysteries  of  Mithra ;  - 
for  you  do,  or  may  know,  that  when  any  one  is  initiated  into 
this  religion,  bread  and  a  cup  of  water,  with  a  certain  form  of 
words,  are  made  use  of  in  the  sacrifice.  After  this  sacrament 
is  over,  we  remind  each  other  of  the  obligations  to  his  duty, 
and  the  rich  relieve  the  poor;  and  upon  such  charitable 
accounts  we  visit  some  or  other  every  day, 

LXXXVII.  And  in  every  Eucharistical  sacrifice  we  bless  the 
Maker  of  all  things  through  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  through 
the  Holy  Spirit.^     And  upon  the  day  called  Sunday,*  all  that 

^  Matt.  xxvi.  26 ;  Mark  xiv.  22  ;  Luke  xxii.  19,  etc. 

2  For  a  fuller  explanation  of  the  mysteries  of  Mithra  or  the  Sun,  I  refer 
the  reader  not  only  to  the  references  in  Dr.  Grabe's  notes,  but  also  to  Dr. 
Hickes's  Christian  Priesthood  Asserted,  where  he  will  find  that  the  ministers 
of  baptism  and  the  Holy  Eucharist  were  riXiarai,  as  Pollux  calls  priests, 
even  as  proper  priests,  as  the  priests  of  Mithra  or  the  Sun,  were  by  his 
worshippers  to  be,  p.  55. 

3  Hitherto  Justin  has  described  the  rites  of  the  first  communion  after 
baptism ;  he  proceeds  now  in  short  to  show  that  they  observed  the  same 
order  in  every  Eucharistical  sacrifice,  and  therefore  the  same  notes  will  in 
a  great  measure  serve  for  both. 

*  T?  ToZ  rixlov  Xiyof/.ivri  tifiipx,  "  upon  the  day  called  Sunday."  It  was 
called  Sunday  by  Justin  and  Tertullian,  because  it  happened  upon  that  day 
of  the  week  which  by  the  heathens  was  dedicated  to  the  sun,  and  there- 
fore as  being  best  known  to  them  by  that  name,  the  Fathers  commonly 
made  use  of  it  in  their  Apologies  to  the  heathen  emperors  ;  but  the  more 
proper  and  prevailing  name  was  Kupixich,  or  the  Lord's  Day,  as  it  is  called 
by  St.  John  himself  (Rev.  i.  10).  This  day  was  so  strictly  set  apart  by 
the  ancients  for  public  devotion,  that  the  Synod  of  Illiberis  ordained  that 
if  any  man  dwelling  in  a  city  (where  churches  were  near  at  hand)  should 
for  three  Lord's  days  keep  from  church,  he  should  for  some  time  be  sus- 
pended the  communion,  Can.  xxi.  p.  28.  And  when  Eustachius,  Bishop 
of  Sebastia,  began  to  fling  off  the  discipline  of  the  Church,  and  to  intro- 


(92)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

live  either  in  city  or  country  meet  together  at  the  same  place, 
where  the  writings  of  the  apostles  and  prophets  are  read,  as 
much  as  time  will  give  leave.^  When  the  reader  has  done,  the 
bishop  makes  a  sermon,^  wherein  he  instructs  the  people,  and 
animates  them  to  the  practice  of  such  lovely  precepts.  At 
the  conclusion  of  this  discourse,  we  all  rise  up  together  and 
pray ;  ^  and  prayers  being  over,  as  I  now  said,  there  is  bread 

duce  some  odd  whimsies  of  his  own,  and  among  many  others  to  fast  on 
the  Lord's  day,  and  keep  meetings  in  private  houses,  leading  many  away 
captive,  but  especially  silly  women,  as  Sozomen  observes,  1.  iii.  c.  14,  p. 
521  ;  the  bishops  no  sooner  understood  it,  but  meeting  in  council  at 
Gangra,  about  the  year  340,  condemned  and  cast  them  out  of  the  Church, 
passing  these  two  canons  among  the  rest,  ' '  If  any  one  shall  teach  that 
the  house  of  God  is  to  be  despised,  and  the  assemblies  that  are  held  in  it, 
let  him  be  accursed.  If  any  shall  take  upon  him  out  of  the  church  to 
preach  privately  at  home,  and  making  light  of  the  church,  shall  do  those 
things  that  belong  only  to  the  church,  without  the  presence  of  the  priest, 
and  the  leave  and  allowance  of  the  bishop,  let  him  be  accursed."  Cone. 
Gangr.  Can.  4,  5. 

^  "  The  commentaries  of  the  apostles  and  the  writings  of  the  prophets 
are  read,  as  much  as  time  will  give  leave."  The  Christian  meetings  were 
often  disturbed  and  broken  up  by  their  heathen  enemies  ;  and  so  neither 
Justin  nor  Tertullian  says  what  portions  either  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament 
were  read  at  one  meeting ;  but  afterwards  set  portions  out  of  each  were 
assigned,  two  lessons  out  of  both,  as  we  find  it  in  the  author  of  the 
Apostolical  Constitutions,  1.  ii.  c.  57,  p.  875. 

*  "The  bishop  makes  a  sermon."  The  sermons  in  these  times  were 
nothing  else  but  expositions  of  some  part  of  the  Scriptures  then  read,  and 
exhortations  to  the  people  to  obey  the  doctrines  contained  in  them,  and 
generally  upon  the  lesson  last  read,  as  being  freshest  in  their  minds.  Ac- 
cording as  opportunity  served,  these  sermons  were  more  or  fewer,  some- 
times two  or  three  at  the  same  assembly,  the  presbyters  first,  and  then 
the  bishop,  as  is  expressly  affirmed  in  the  Apostolical  Constitutions.  Ka) 
15^;  ■rapaxaXuraa'iv  si  "Tpiirfiuripoi  rov  Xaov  0  KahU  avrcHy,  uXka,  f/.>i  a.-pra.vris, 
Koi  TlXivraTos  vivrtav  0  i'rifxa'jros  Us  'ioiKt  xvfiipvrirn,  1.  xi.  C.  57>  P-  263, 
edit.  Cleric.  "Then  "  (that  is,  after  the  reading  of  the  Gospel)  "let  the 
presbyters  exhort  the  people  one  by  one,  not  all  at  once ;  and  last  of  all 
the  bishop,  as  it  is  fitting  for  the  master  to  do." 

^  "  We  all  rise  up  together  and  pray."  From  this  place  of  Justin,  and 
from  Tertullian,  de  Coron.  c.   3,  p.  102,  it  is  evident  that,   whereas  the 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (93) 

and  wine  and  water  offered,  and  the  bishop,  as  before,  sends 
up  prayers  and  thanksgivings  with  all  the  fervency  he  is  able,^ 
and  the  people  conclude  all  with  the  joyful  acclamation  of 
Amen.      Then  the  consecrated  elements  are   distributed  to, 

Christians  upon  other  days  prayed  kneeling,  yet  upon  Sundays  they  always 
prayed  standing  ;  and  the  reason  of  this  we  find  in  the  author  of  the 
Questions  and  Answers  in  Justin  Martyr,  Resp.  ad  Quest.  115,  p.  468.  It 
is  (says  he)  that  by  this  posture  we  may  be  put  in  mind  both  of  our  fall 
by  sin,  and  our  restitution  by  the  grace  of  Christ  ;  that  for  six  days  we 
pray  upon  our  knees  is  to  remind  us  of  our  fall  by  sin  ;  but  that  on  the 
Lord's  Day  we  pray  standing,  is  to  represent  our  restitution,  by  which, 
through  the  grace  of  Christ,  we  are  delivered  from  our  sins  and  the  powers 
of  death.  And  the  great  Council  of  Nicaea,  taking  notice  that  this  custom 
began  to  be  neglected,  ordained  that  on  the  Lord's  Day  men  should  stand 
when  they  offered  up  their  prayers  to  God.     Can.  20. 

^  'Eu-^as  ifioias  xa]  thp(^a,piirTia;  offvi  ouvafeis  abrZ  a.'ia.-Ttijj.'X'i.t,  "  The  bishop 
sends  up  prayers  and  thanksgivings  with  all  the  fervency  he  is  able."  This 
passage  is  greedily  fastened  upon  by  many  of  our  dissenting  brethren 
against  stated  forms  of  prayer  in  the  primitive  Church,  and  particularly  by 
Mr.  David  Clarkson  in  his  Discourse  concerning  Liturgies,  and  is  cited  twice 
over,  p.  68  and  p.  115,  where  he  marvellously  pleases  himself,  with  very 
little  reason,  for  near  ten  pages  in  quotations,  to  make  this  speak  "for 
inventing  words  as  the  Spirit  enabled  them,  or  praying  ex  tempore,"  I 
cannot  but  observe  from  hence  how  much  these  old  Fathers  are  made  of 
by  some  men,  if  they  can  but  be  forced  to  cast  a  kind  look  towards  them ; 
and  then  again  by  fits,  how  musty  and  despicable  they  are,  when  they 
speak  too  plain  to  be  misinterpreted.  But  to  the  case  in  hand.  First,  then, 
I  say  that  oVji  Suva/*;?  is  a  doubtful  expression,  and  twice  before  in  this 
Apology  (as  I  have  advertised  the  reader)  is  used  in  a  sense  quite  different 
from  this  of  Mr.  Clarkson,  and  therefore  at  best  can  be  but  a  doubtful 
proof,  till  he  can  make  out  his  sense  to  be  the  plain  and  only  sense  of  this 
phrase.  Secondly,  if  this  be  the  sense,  it  will  not  follow  that  because  in 
Justin's  age, — an  age  of  casting  out  devils,  and  praying  by  the  Spirit  in 
order  to  proselytise  the  world, — therefore  now,  when  the  world  is  prose- 
lytised, and  the  gift  of  power  and  miracles  is  over,  every  private  minister  is 
enabled  to  pray  by  the  same  Spirit.  But  then,  thirdly,  I  think  it  must 
signify  otherwise  in  this  very  place,  for  oV»  "iivafm  here  plainly  answers  to 
lUTivaii,  sect.  Ixxxv.,  where  all  the  congregation  is  said  to  join  in  common 
prayers  for  the  new  baptized  person,  etc.,  tuTovu;  "with  all  intention  of 
mind  and  affections  ; "  and  by  common  prayers  we  can  hardly  understand 
anything  else  than  set  forms  of  prayer,  in  opposition  to  ex  tempore  effu- 


94)     The  First  Apology  of  Jushn  Martyr. 

and  partaken  of  by  all  that  are  present,  and  sent  to  the  absent 
by  the  hands  of  the  deacons. 

LXXXVIII.  But  the  wealthy  and  the  willing,  for  every  one 
is  at  liberty,  contribute  as  they  think  fitting;  and  this  collec- 
tion is  deposited  with  the  bishop,  and  out  of  this  he  relieves 
the  orphan  and  the  widow,  and  such  as  are  reduced  to  want, 
by  sickness  or  any  other  cause,  and  such  as  are  in  bonds,  and 
strangers  that  come  from  far ;  and,  in  a  word,  he  is  the  guardian 
and  almoner  to  all  the  indigent. 

LXXXIX.  Upon  Sunday  we  all  assemble,  that  being  the 
first  day  in  which  God  set  Himself  to  work  upon  the  dark 
void,  in  order  to  make  the  world,  and  in  which  Jesus  Christ 
our  Saviour  rose  again  from  the  dead;  for  the  day  before 
Saturday^   He   was   crucified,   and   the   day   after,    which   is 

sions.  Besides,  it  is  observable  that  this  phrase  does  not  follow  {ihx^i) 
prayers,  but  {%hx«-(''r'rla.i)  thanksgivings  ;  so  that  it  is  chiefly  to  be  restrained 
to  the  hymns  in  the  Eucharist,  which  were  known  forms  ;  and  yet,  says 
Justin,  they  were  offered  up  oan  ^vnetf/.!;.  And  section  xvi.,  where  we 
have  his  phrase  l<p'  ols  'rpoir(pipi//,i^a  "xaint,  ocrri  'iuvafii;  ahouvri;,  "  in  all  our 
oblations  praising  God  to  the  best  of  our  power,"  he  deals  very  disingenu- 
ously, by  leaving  out  the  comma  between  •roarn  and  oV»,  Now  this  praising 
8<r»  luvafiis  cannot  be  applied  to  the  bishop  only,  but  to  all  the  congregation 
who  joined  in  the  public  hymns  with  all  possible  fervency  and  devotion. 
But  of  all  the  quotations  this  author  has  brought  to  wrest  this  phrase  to 
his  purpose  of  ex  tempore  prayer,  that  out  of  Gregory  Nazianzen  is  the 
most  unhappy  one,  *£/>£  «V>j  ^vva/Ms  ro  l-riviKiov  alufnv  ixilvriv  «iS«v,  etc. 
"  Come,  let  us  with  all  intention  of  spirit  chant  that  triumphant  ode 
which  sometime  the  Israelites  sang  upon  the  overthrow  of  the  Egyptians 
in  the  Red  Sea."  Nazianzen  here  sets  down  the  words  which  he  would 
have  them  sing  upon  Julian's  being  cut  off,  and  oV>j  Siiva^/s  being  precisely 
limited  to  ixihnv  siS^v,  that  song  in  Ex.  xv.  ;  this,  I  say,  utterly  shuts  out 
all  arbitrary  conceptions,  and  determines  the  signification  of  this  phrase, 
as,  I  think,  beyond  exception. 

^  "  The  day  before  Saturday."  Justin  uses  this  circumlocution  instead 
if  Die  Veneris,  because  he  abhorred  the  very  name  of  Venus  ;  and  the 
Fathers  were  so  chaste  in  word  as  well  as  thought,  that  they  would  not 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (95) 

Sunday,    He   appeared   to   His   apostles   and   disciples,   and 
taught  them  what  I  have  now  proposed  to  your  consideration. 

XC.  And  so  far  as  these  things  shall  appear  agreeable  to 
truth  and  reason,  so  far  we  desire  you  would  respect  them 
accordingly,  but  if  they  seem  trifling,  despise  them  as  trifles ; 
however,  do  not  proceed  against  the  professors  of  them,  who 
are  people  of  the  most  inoffensive  lives,  as  severely  as  against 
your  professed  enemies ;  for,  tell  you  I  must,  that  if  you 
persist  in  this  course  of  iniquity,  you  shall  not  escape  the 
vengeance  of  God  in  the  other  world.  But  be  this  as  it  will, 
you  shall  hear  us  contentedly  cry  out,  "  God's  will  be  done." 
And  although  we  might  produce  the  rescript  of  your  father, 
the  great  and  illustrious  Emperor  Adrian,  to  plead  in  our 
behalf  for  the  moderating  your  proceedings  according  to  that 
rule  of  equity  we  ourselves  have  proposed,  yet  we  shall  not 
insist  so  much  upon  the  authority  of  Adrian  as  the  justice  of 
our  demands,  which  was  the  reason  of  composing  this  Apology 
and  Exposition  of  the  Christian  faith.  However,  we  have 
subjoined  a  copy  of  Adrian's  Epistle,  to  let  you  see  the  truth 
and  justice  of  our  cause.     And  the  copy  is  this : — 


THE 
RESCRIPT   OF   ADRIAN   FOR  THE   CHRISTIANS 

TO 

MINUTIUS  FUNDANUS.i 

I  RECEIVED  a  letter  from  the  illustrious  Serenus  Granianus, 
your  predecessor.     It  is  an  affair  well  worthy  your  considera- 

take  the  name  of  Venus  within  their   lips,   but  in  order  to  refute  the 
heathen  idolatry.     See  Dr.  Grabe's  notes  upon  this  place. 

1  The  Apologies  of  Aristides,  but  especially  that  of  Quadratus,  had  so 


(96)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

tion  to  put  a  stop  to  vexatious  suits,  and  to  give  no  handle 
to  informers  to  carry  on  the  trade  of  malice.^  If,  then,  the 
people  under  your  government  have  anything  to  say  against 
Christians,  and  will  prove  it  in  public,  so  that  Christians  may 
answer  for  themselves  in  open  court,  it  is  your  duty  to  hear 
them  in  a  judicial  way  only,  and  not  to  be  overborne  by  the 
petitions  and  tumultuary  clamours  of  the  people  ;  for  it  is  your 
place,  and  not  the  mob's,  to  judge  of  the  merits  of  the  cause. 
If,  therefore,  the  informer  shall  make  it  appear  that  Christians 
have  done  anything  contrary  to  law,  punish  them  according  to 
the  quality  of  the  crime ;  so  verily  on  the  other  hand,  if  you 
find  it  to  be  a  malicious  charge  only,  take  care  to  condemn 
and  punish  as  the  malice  deserves. 

good  an  effect  upon  the  Emperor  Adrian  that  they  procured  this  rescript 
in  favour  of  the  Christians ;  for  Serenus  Granianus  wrote  to  Adrian,  as 
Pliny  before  had  done  to  Trajan,  concerning  the  intolerable  and  unjust 
persecutions  of  the  Christian  sect,  and  being  either  dead  just  after,  or 
out  of  his  office  (which  was  but  annual),  Adrian  directs  this  answer  to 
Minutius  Fundanus,  his  successor  in  the  Proconsulship  of  Asia.  This 
rescript  was  annexed  by  Justin  to  this  Apology  in  the  Latin  tongue,  and 
translated  by  Eusebius  into  Greek,  as  he  himself  tells  us,  1.  iv.  c.  8,  Hist. 
Eccl.  And,  by  the  way,  if  St.  Justin  may  be  allowed  Latin  enough  to 
understand  this  epistle,  methinks  it  is  hard  not  to  allow  him  enough  to 
understand  the  inscription  upon  the  statue  of  Simon  Magus.  The  Latin 
text  preserved  by  that  martyr  is  lost ;  however,  it  is  famous,  and  much 
talked  of  by  the  ancients ;  it  is  cited  by  St.  Melito,  Euseb.  1.  iv.  c.  26 ; 
by  Sulpicius  Severus,  1.  ii.  c.  45  ;  and  by  Orosius,  1.  vii.  c.  12. 

^  The  subject  of  Granianus's  letter  seems  evidently  omitted  in  this 
place,  and  the  Emperor's  order  only  mentioned.  And  if  Lampridius  may 
be  credited,  as  I  see  no  reason  why  he  may  not  for  anything  Casaubon  has 
urged  to  the  contrary,  Adrian  had  a  design,  as  Tiberius  had  before  him, 
to  set  up  the  worship  of  Christ,  and  built  up  therefore  several  temples 
without  any  image,  and  without  consecrating  them  to  any  god  of  the 
heathen,  which  therefore  went  by  the  name  of  Adrian's  temples.  Lam- 
prid.  Alex.  v.  p.  129.  Vid.  Memoirs,  etc.,  par  le  Sieur  D.  Tillemont, 
torn.  ii.  p.  123. 


The  First  Apology  of  Jtistin  Martyr.     (97) 


THE   LETTER   OF  ANTONINUS 


STATES   OF  ASIA.1 

The  Emperor  Csesar  Titus  ^lius  Adrianus  Antoninus 
Augustus  Pius,  chief  pontiff,  the  fifteenth  time  tribune, 
thrice  consul,  father  of  the  country,  to  the  common  Assembly 
of  Asia,  greeting.  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  gods  will  be 
sufficiently  careful  not  to  let  this  sort  of  men  escape,  for  it 
is  much  more  their  concern  than  yours  to  make  those  the 
examples  of  justice,  if  they  can,  who  refuse  to  worship  them ; 
and  while  you  thus  harass  them,  and  accuse  them  for  atheists, 
and  object  other  things  against  them,  and  are  not  able  to 

1  We  are  told  by  an  ancient  ecclesiastical  writer  that  this  Apology  of  our 
martyr  very  much  sweetened  the  spirit  of  Antoninus,  Oros.  1,  vii.  c.  14. 
A.nd  being  also  seconded  by  addresses,  and  hideous  complaints  from  the 
faithful  in  Asia,  produced  this  letter  from  the  Emperor  to  the  States  of 
Asia,  and  to  those  of  Larissa,  Thessalonica,  Athens,  and  all  Greece.  He 
sent  letters  also  in  behalf  of  the  Christians,  though  this  alone  to  the  States 
of  Asia  is  yet  extant.  Vid.  Euseb,  1.  iv.  c.  26.  It  is  an  an.swer  to  what 
the  States  had  sent  concerning  the  prosecution  of  Christians  upon  the 
account  of  earthquakes,  which  had  then  happened  and  were  charged  upon 
the  Christians,  as  all  misfortunes  were.  I  am  not  ignorant  that  Scaliger, 
Valesius,  and  others  would  have  this  Imperial  edict  to  be  the  decree  of 
Marcus  Aurelius,  the  son  of  Antoninus;  the  inscription,  indeed,  as  it 
stands  in  Euseb.  1.  iv.  c.  26,  has  Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus ;  but  then 
this  is  most  undeniably  corrupted  ;  for  just  before,  in  the  conclusion  of  the 
twenty-fifth  chapter,  he  ascribes  it  to  Antoninus  Pius,  and  in  the  original 
inscription  annexed  to  the  Apology  (and  from  whence  Eusebius  transcribed 
his)  it  is  Titus  ^lius  Antoninus  Pius.  Besides,  the  tenor  of  the  epistle 
itself  seems  plainly  to  give  it  to  Antoninus ;  and  Melito,  Bishop  of  Sardis, 
who  presented  an  Apology  to  his  son  and  successor,  tells  him  of  the  letters 


(98)     The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr. 

make  good  the  charge,  you  do  but  harden  them  in  their 
opinion ;  for  it  makes  mightily  for  them,  or  you  cannot  obUge 
them  more,  than  to  make  them  die  for  the  reUgion  they  are 
accused  of;  for  thus  they  triumph  over  you,  by  choosing 
rather  to  submit  to  death  than  to  comply  with  your  demands. 
As  for  earthquakes,  either  past  or  present,  I  advise  you  to  be 
silent  upon  this  head;  you  who  are  desponding  immediately 
upon  these  occasions,  and  laying  all  your  calamities  upon 
them,  whereas  they  are  more  erect  and  confident  in  God  upon 
such  accidents.  But  you  all  this  time  seem  to  be  perfect 
strangers  to  the  gods,  and  to  neglect  their  worship,  nay,  the 
worship  of  the  great  God  Himself,  and  therefore  mortally  hate 
those  who  do  worship  Him,  and  persecute  them  to  death  for 
so  doing.  Concerning  this  sort  of  men,  several  governors 
of  provinces  have  formerly  wiitten  to  my  father  of  sacred 
memory,  to  whom  he  returned  this  answer :  That  such  men 
should  not  be  molested,  unless  they  were  found  to  attempt 

which  his  father,  at  the  time  he  was  his  partner  in  the  empire,  wrote  to 
the  cities,  that  they  should  not  raise  any  new  troubles  against  the  Chris- 
tians. Vid.  Dr.  Cave's  Life  of  Justin,  in  English,  p.  147.  The  objections 
against  this  opinion  you  may  find  in  Dr.  Grabe's  notes,  and  in  the  notes  at 
the  end  of  his  edition. 

This  letter  was  sent,  says  Monsieur  Tillemont,  in  the  fifteenth  year  of 
Antoninus,  that  is,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  152. —  Vid.  Memoirs,  torn.  ii. 
p.  390 ;  says  Dr.  Cave  in  the  year  140 ;  and  if  it  be  objected  that  this 
seems  not  consistent  with  the  year  of  his  being  tribune,  said  here  to  be  the 
fifteenth,  he  answers  that  the  tribunitian  power  did  not  always  commence 
with  the  beginning  of  their  reign,  but  was  given  sometimes  to  persons  in  a 
private  capacity,  and  especially  to  such  as  were  candidates  for  the  empire. 
Vid.  Life  of  Justin,  p.  146.  Valesius  fixes  the  date  of  the  rescript  in  the 
first  year  of  Marcus  Aurelius,  for  which  he  is  animadverted  upon  by 
Bishop  Pearson,  who  refers  it  to  the  fifteenth  of  Aurelius.  Vind.  Ig.  Epis. 
p.  2,  n.  404.  See  Dr.  Grabe's  notes.  In  this  state  of  uncertainty  I  shall 
leave  this  rescript,  with  this  observation  only,  that  we  ought  not  to  con- 
clude against  the  being  of  a  thing  because  learned  men  dispute  the  time  of 
its  being,  but  just  the  contrary,  viz.  that  such  a  thing  really  was,  because 
there  is  so  much  dispute  about  it. 


The  First  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr.     (99) 

anything  against  the  Roman  Government.  And  I  myself 
have  received  many  letters  upon  the  same  subject,  and  I 
returned  the  same  answer.  So  that  if  any  one  hereafter  shall 
go  on  to  inform  against  this  sort  of  men,  purely  because  they 
are  Christians,  let  the  persons  accused  be  discharged,  although 
they  be  found  to  be  Christians,  and  let  the  informer  himself 
undergo  the  punishment 


J.   BAIN  AND  SONS,  PRINTERS,  EDINBURGH. 


/ 


BT 

1116 

JSK3 


Justiivus,   Martyr,   Saint 
The   first  apology  of* 
Justiii  Martyr 


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