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Hi,
This first apologist seems to be already both steeped in Philosophy and tradition.
FroIn the opening of the “Dialogue,” Justin relates his vain search among the Stoics, Peripatetics, and Pythagoreans for a satisfying knowledge of God; his finding in the ideas of Plato wings for his soul, by the aid of which he hoped to attain the contemplation of the God-head; and his meeting on the sea-shore with an aged man who told him that by no human endeavor but only by divine revelation could this blessedness be attained, that the prophets had conveyed this revelation to man, and that their words had been fulfilled. Of the truth of this he assured himself by his own investigation; and the daily life of the Christians and the courage of the martyrs convinced him that the charges against them were unfounded. So he sought to spread the knowledge of Christianity as the true philosophy.Justin had, like others, the idea that the Greek philosophers had derived, if not borrowed, the most essential elements of truth found in their teaching from the Old Testament. But at the same time he adopted the Stoic doctrine of the “seminal word,” and so philosophy was to him an operation of the Word — in fact, through his identification of the Word with Christ, it was brought into immediate connection with him. Thus he does not scruple to declare that Socrates and Heraclitus were Christians (Apol., i. 46, ii. 10). His aim, of course, is to emphasize the absolute significance of Christ, so that all that ever existed of virtue and truth may be referred to him. The old philosophers and law-givers had only a part of the Logos, while the whole appears in Christ. While the gentile peoples, seduced by demons, had deserted the true God for idols, the Jews and Samaritans possessed the revelation given through the prophets and awaited the Messiah. The law, however, while containing commandments intended to promote the true fear of God, had other prescriptions of a purely pedagogic nature, which necessarily ceased when Christ, their end, appeared; of such temporary and merely relative regulations were circumcision, animal sacrifices, the Sabbath, and the laws as to food. Through Christ the abiding law of God has been fully proclaimed. In his character as the teacher of the new doctrine and promulgator of the new law lies the essential nature of his redeeming work. The idea of an economy of grace, of a restoration of the union with God which had been destroyed by sin, is not foreign to him. It is noteworthy that in the “Dialogue” he no longer speaks of a “seed of the Word” in every man, and in his non-apologetic works the emphasis is laid upon the redeeming acts of the life of Christ rather than upon the demonstration of the reasonableness and moral value of Christianity, though the fragmentary character of the latter works makes it difficult to determine exactly to what extent this is true and how far the teaching of Irenaeus on redemption is derived from him.
Still, it is safe to say that Justin's theology is characterized throughout by an ethical strain. Faith does not justify but is a preliminary to justification, which is accomplished by repentance, change of heart, and a sinless life according to God's commandments. Baptism confers the remission only of previous sins; the Christian must there after show himself worthy of union with God by a life without sin. In the Eucharist he shows his devotion by offering bread and wine and by prayer, receiving in return the food consecrated by a formula of Christ's institution, which is the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus, and by which our flesh and blood are nourished through a kind of transformation (kata metabolen).
Justin is confident that his teaching is that of the Church at large. He knows of a division among the orthodox only on the question of the millennium and on the attitude toward the milder Jewish Christianity, which he personally is willing to tolerate as long as its professors in their turn do not interfere with the liberty of the Gentile converts; his millennarianism seems to have no connection with Judaism, but he believes firmly in a millennium, and generally in the primitive Christian eschatology.
Justin's self-perception of himself was that of a scholar, although his skills in Hebrew were either non-existent or minimal. His opposition to Judaism was typical of church leaders in his day, but does not descend to the level of anti-semitism. After collaborating with a Jewish convert to assist him with the Hebrew, Justin published an attack on Judaism based upon a no-longer-extant text of a Midrash. This Midrash was reconstructed and published by Saul Lieberman.
m Wikipaedia.”Hi MS,
Though we can learn from the words of the early theologians as we can learn from anyone we do not follow them. All teaching, true or false, can train us about the myriad false trails and to seek about the simplicity of Christ.For the Apostasy came very early, almost as soon as the Apostles bid their farewells, and Satan brought greek and Babylonian influences which began to mingle themselves with the pure words of God.
Such was Justin Martyr.
I think Justin was a Greek who wrotes apologies to other greeks using idioms they would understand. I think Justin was a man of God.
I agree with everything I have personally read, so far, that he has written as far as subjects pertaining to scriptural interpretation.
I haven't read all that Justin taught. But I think his following words seem good. It appears that he taught that the Son came forth from God, that the son was begotten from the unbegotten God who is the Father. He said that Jesus is the true son of God and holds second place after God himself. But his teaching on the Spirit is worth noting. I am not sure about this.
First Apology
For not only among the Greeks did the Word prevail to condemn these things through Socrates, but also among the barbarians were they condemned by the Word Himself, who took shape, and became man, and was called Jesus Christ, and in obedience to him, we not only deny that those who did such things as these are gods, but assert that they are wicked and ungodly demons, whose actions will not bear comparison with those even of men desirous of virtue. (5).
Hence are we called atheists. And we confess that we are atheists, so far as gods of this kind are concerned, but not concerning the most true God, the Father of righteousness and temperance and the other virtues, who is free from all impurity. But both Him, and the Son, who came forth from Him, and taught us these things, and the host of the other good angels who follow and are made like to him, and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore, knowing them in reason and truth, and declaring without grudging to every one who wishes to learn, as we have been taught. (6)
And that you will not succeed is declared by the Word, than whom, after God who begat him, we know there is no ruler more kingly and righteous. For as all shrink from succeeding to the poverty or sufferings or obscurity of their fathers, so whatever the Word forbids us to choose, the sensible man will not choose. That all these things should come to pass, I say, our Teacher foretold, he who is both Son and Apostle of God the Father of all and the Ruler, Jesus Christ, from whom also we have the name of Christians. (12).
Our Teacher of these things is Jesus Christ, who also was born for this purpose, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judaea, in the times of Tiberius Caesar, and that we reasonably worship him, having learned that he is the Son of the true God Himself, and holding him in the second place, and the prophetic Spirit in the third, we will prove. (13).
And when we say also that the Word, who is the firstborn of God, was brought forth without sexual union, and that he, Jesus Christ, our Teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven… (21).
Jesus Christ is the only proper Son who has been begotten by God, being His Word and first-begotten. (23).
For what is called by the Divine Spirit through the prophet “his robe,” are those men who believe in him in whom abides the seed of God, the Word. And what is spoken of as “the blood of the grape,” signifies that he who should appear would have blood, though not of the seed of man, but of the power of God. And the first power after God the Father and Lord of all is the Word, who is also the Son; and of Him we will, in what follows, relate how He took flesh and became man. (32).
Therefore, it is wrong to understand the Spirit and the power of God as anything else than the Word, who is also the first-born of God, as the foresaid prophet Moses declared, and it was this which, when it came upon the virgin and overshadowed her, caused her to conceive, not by intercourse, but by power. And the name Jesus in the Hebrew language means Savior in the Greek tongue. Wherefore, too, the angel said to the virgin, “Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” And that the prophets are inspired by no other than the Divine Word, even you, as I fancy, will grant. (33).
We have been taught that Christ is the firstborn of God (46).
We believe in a crucified man, that he is the firstbegotten of the unbegotten God, and himself will pass judgment on the whole human race, unless we had found testimonies concerning him heralded before he came and was born as man. (53).
Second Apology
But to the Father of all, who is unbegotten, there is no name given. For by whatever name He be called, He has as His elder the person who gives Him the name. But these words, Father, and God, and Creator, and Lord, and Master, are not names, but appellations derived from His good deeds and functions. And His Son, who alone is properly called Son, the Word, who also was with Him and was begotten before the works, when at first He created and arranged all things by Him, is called Christ, in reference to His being anointed and God's ordering all things through Him; this name itself also containing an unknown significance; as also the appellation “God” is not a name, but an opinion implanted in the nature of men of a thing that can hardly be explained. (6).
For next to God, we worship and love the Word who is out of the unbegotten and ineffable God, since also He became man for our sakes, that, becoming a partaker of our sufferings, He might also bring us healing. (13).
Dialogue with Trypho
God begat before all creatures a Beginning, a certain Reasonable Power from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave. For he can be called by all those names, since he ministers to the will of the Father, and since he was begotten out of the Father by an act of will, just as we see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word, yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word in us, when we give it out, and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled, but remains the same, and that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is himself this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter. ( 61).
Other
And God, the Father of the cosmos, who is the perfect intelligence, the truth. And the Word, being His Son, came to us, having put on flesh, revealing both himself and the Father, giving to us in himself resurrection from the dead, and eternal life afterwards. And this is Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. (On the Resurrection, 1).
From the one
God, who both made this world and formed us…. there came to us the only-begotten Son. (Fragments, II).[Justin's Confession of faith on Trial]: “That according to which we worship the God of the Christians, whom we reckon to be One from the beginning, the Maker and Fashioner of all creation, visible and invisible, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Martyrdom of Justin, 1).
Thanks t8
“Therefore, it is wrong to understand the Spirit and the power of God as anything else than the Word, who is also the first-born of God, as the foresaid prophet Moses declared, and it was this which, when it came upon the virgin and overshadowed her, caused her to conceive, not by intercourse, but by power. “hmmm
The Spirit of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy and that Holy Spirit is referred to as the source of wisdom given to the prophets as shown in retrospect in 1Peter and 1 Cor 10.
Certainly also the portion of the Spirit of God poured into Christ is called the Spirit of Christ and the same portion is reserved to be shared among Christ's body as shown in Jn 7.
But the Word in flesh was not reborn from above till the Jordan and thus was not the Spirit of God that he was conceived by I would have thought.Quote But the Word in flesh was not reborn from above till the Jordan and thus was not the Spirit of God that he was conceived by I would have thought. NH
Where is the scripture for this?
Looks like to me you are doing exactly what you accuse trinitarians of doing!
Going outside of the scriptures to develop your doctrine!
So plz give me scripture that prove your view here!
Hi W,
Jn 1
” 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”
Acts 10
” 36The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)37That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him”
Yes by using the definition of god as the bible does. A mighty spiritual power that has been, for reasons known to the Father, given a various degree of authority from on high.
Quote (Nick Hassan @ Dec. 04 2007,07:49) Hi MS,
Given authority by Father God YHWH then?
Well technically yes. Through YHWH the Father operates.See the Father and Son operate as one. The son doesn't do anything of his own but obeys the Father.
The other sons of God did not operate with the Father as one.
But, we can as we become adopted and we will replace the fallen sons and become one with the Father.
Hi MS,
Did Jesus have advantages over us having been on earth and revealed himself as the God of the Jews?
Was he empowered by the Spirit of God before his conception as another God?
Which GOD do these verses refer to if there were always two?Genesis 14:19
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:Genesis 24:3
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:Genesis 24:7
The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.Deuteronomy 3:24
O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?Deuteronomy 4:39
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none elseDeuteronomy 10:14
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.Joshua 2:11
And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.etc.
CONFUSION
Hi LU,
Would you rate this man alongside the apostles?
Giving your body to be burned does not necessarily help us.Nick,
Laying down your life for what you believe is the strongest testimony one can make. His act was out of devotion to the Lord Jesus. Whether it helps you or not does not take away from the fact that he gave his all. I happen to agree with his main beliefs, not because he laid down his life to death although that gives him credibility, but because I believed this before I knew what he believed. Here is part of his dialogue from t8's post on the first page.God begat before all creatures a Beginning, a certain Reasonable Power from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave. For he can be called by all those names, since he ministers to the will of the Father, and since he was begotten out of the Father by an act of will, just as we see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word, yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word in us, when we give it out, and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled, but remains the same, and that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is himself this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter. ( 61).
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