The First and Second Apologies of Justin Martyr

by Aaron Simms

Justin Martyr was a mid-second century Christian writer. A Greek-speaking Gentile, he was born in Flavia Neapolis (present day Nablus) in Samaria and was martyred around 165 AD in Rome. In approximately 150 AD, he wrote his First and Second Apologies as defenses of the Christian faith. Justin addressed the First Apology to the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius and his sons Lucius and Verissimus (better known as Marcus Aurelius); the Second Apology was addressed to the Roman Senate. In both Apologies, Justin seeks to defend the Christian faith from the misrepresentations that were current in his day, demonstrate that persecutions of Christians were unjust, and convert his readers to the faith. This edition of Justin’s Apologies contains notes and commentary by Rev. Aaron Simms.

156 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2016

About the author

I am an author and writer specializing in Christian theology, history, and classical studies. I am also a pastor in The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and a member of the American Academy of Religion.

My academic studies include international relations, economics, psychology, classical history, and theology at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia), Troy University (Troy, Alabama), and Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri). I’ve also spent some time traveling internationally to places such as Russia, China, Sweden, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, among others. When I’m not writing, blogging, preaching, or working, I enjoy spending time with my family, fishing, hiking, and running.

My website and blog is at:

aaronsimms.com