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The Fathers of the Church #6
The First Apology, The Second Apology, Dialogue with Trypho, Exhortation to the Greeks, Discourse to the Greeks, The Monarchy of the Rule of God
St. Justin Martyr is known as the oustanding apologist of the second century. While the Apostolic Fathers like St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp had addressed members within the Christian fold, St. Justin is considered to be the first prominent defender of the Christian faith against non-Christians and the enemies of the Church. The chief sources for the uncertain and meager chronological data of Justin's life are his own writings, the two Apologies and the Dialogue with Trypho. The circumstances leading up to his conversion are recorded in the first eight chapters of the Dialogue, and the events surrounding his death are reported in the Acta SS. Justini et Sociorum, an authentic source of the latter part of the second century. Historians place his birth in the beginning of the second century (ca. 100-110 A.D.) at Flavia Neapolis (today Nablus) in Samaria. Although St. Epiphanius calls him a Samaritan, and he himself refers to his people as Samarians, Justin was not Jewish in either race or religion. His family was rather of pagan and Greco-Roman anscestry. They had come as colonists to Flavia Neapolis during the reign of Titus (79-81 A.D.), the son of Flavius Vespasian (69-79), who had built this city and had granted its inhabitants the privileges of Roman citizens. Obviously, the parents of Justin had considerable means and could afford to give their son an excellent education in the pagan culture of the day. Young Justin had a keen mind, was inquisitive by nature and endowed with a burning thirst for learning. He tried to broaden his knowledge further by extensive travels. Driven by an inner urge and a profound inclination for philosophy, he subsequently frequented the schools of the Stoics, the Peripatetics, the Pythagoreans, and the Platonists. He set out to reach the truth; to gain a perfect knowledge of God was his greatest and only ambition. Dissatisfied with the Stoics and Peripatetics, he tells us of finding temporary peace in the philosophy of the 'the perception of incorporeal things quite overwhelmed me and the Platonic theory of ideas added wings to my mind, so that in a short time I imagined myself a wise man. So great was my folly that I fully expected immediately to gaze upon God.'
486 pages, Paperback
Published September 25, 2008
6 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Justin Martyr
187 books64 followersJustin Martyr, also known as Saint Justin (c. 100–165 CE), was an early Christian apologist, and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century. He was martyred, alongside some of his students, and is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the fledgling sect. Further, he also makes the theologically-innovative suggestion that the "seeds of Christianity" (manifestations of the Logos acting in history) actually predated Christ's incarnation. This notion allows him to claim many historical Greek philosophers (including Socrates and Plato), in whose works he was well studied, as unknowing Christians. (Wikipedia)
Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the fledgling sect. Further, he also makes the theologically-innovative suggestion that the "seeds of Christianity" (manifestations of the Logos acting in history) actually predated Christ's incarnation. This notion allows him to claim many historical Greek philosophers (including Socrates and Plato), in whose works he was well studied, as unknowing Christians. (Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 19, 2022
I enjoyed the First and Second Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho more than the following books. Probably because I enjoyed reading Justin and the following books are more than likely not him, but rather one or more of his successors. Good news is the first three books I mentioned make up most of this book, so I enjoyed most of it.
The First and Second Apology focuses on addressing the Roman government. Justin does a great job of reasoning through his apologies that the persecution of Christians under Rome for the sake of what they believe is irrational. If you are going to punish someone for wrongdoing, punish him for wrongdoing, not just because you disagree with what he believes. Justin gives several examples of Greek myths that are very similar to what the prophets taught about Christ. He explains that the demons didn't fully know what God had planned, but caught wind of what He was doing through His prophets. Whenever they would catch wind of what God might be planning, they would inspire pagan poets and philosophers to write works and create myths that reflected God's truth; to keep people from the Truth when the prophecies were actually being fulfilled. If you feel like you have enough of the truth already, you may be less inclined to listen to someone saying Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way to the Father is through Him. Typical demonic deception; the best lies are those with the most truth.
Justin makes many references to Greek gods that are claimed to have done things that Christ actually did; ascending into heaven, being born of a virgin, etc. Since we, Christians, are attributing these miraculous works to Christ, of which you, Rome, believe very similar things, it doesn't make sense for you to kill us, because you believe similar things we do. Justin approaches his apologies from a philosophical perspective, which makes sense seeing as how he was a philosopher himself and that is what his Greek audience was most interested in; logic.
The beginning of The Dialogue with Trypho is about Justin's conversion to Christianity. Once converted, he has a discussion with a Jewish man, Trypho, who believes in the prophets, but not that Christ was the Messiah. Justin reasons with Trypho through many Scriptures proving Christ to be the Messiah, even by the Jewish interpretation of the OT. This book was filled with really interesting perspectives and insights into what Justin believed and how OT prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.
If you're interested in digging into the Church Fathers and are interested in reading Justin, I'd recommend reading the three works I mentioned.
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The First and Second Apology focuses on addressing the Roman government. Justin does a great job of reasoning through his apologies that the persecution of Christians under Rome for the sake of what they believe is irrational. If you are going to punish someone for wrongdoing, punish him for wrongdoing, not just because you disagree with what he believes. Justin gives several examples of Greek myths that are very similar to what the prophets taught about Christ. He explains that the demons didn't fully know what God had planned, but caught wind of what He was doing through His prophets. Whenever they would catch wind of what God might be planning, they would inspire pagan poets and philosophers to write works and create myths that reflected God's truth; to keep people from the Truth when the prophecies were actually being fulfilled. If you feel like you have enough of the truth already, you may be less inclined to listen to someone saying Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way to the Father is through Him. Typical demonic deception; the best lies are those with the most truth.
Justin makes many references to Greek gods that are claimed to have done things that Christ actually did; ascending into heaven, being born of a virgin, etc. Since we, Christians, are attributing these miraculous works to Christ, of which you, Rome, believe very similar things, it doesn't make sense for you to kill us, because you believe similar things we do. Justin approaches his apologies from a philosophical perspective, which makes sense seeing as how he was a philosopher himself and that is what his Greek audience was most interested in; logic.
The beginning of The Dialogue with Trypho is about Justin's conversion to Christianity. Once converted, he has a discussion with a Jewish man, Trypho, who believes in the prophets, but not that Christ was the Messiah. Justin reasons with Trypho through many Scriptures proving Christ to be the Messiah, even by the Jewish interpretation of the OT. This book was filled with really interesting perspectives and insights into what Justin believed and how OT prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.
If you're interested in digging into the Church Fathers and are interested in reading Justin, I'd recommend reading the three works I mentioned.
---------------------------
Follow!
https://www.instagram.com/laymansprog...
October 10, 2019
Read this in Logos. Full of much scriptural insight. Probably worth reading again if I can do it.
October 24, 2022
“Hurry on with your proof, then,” said Trypho. (235)
“Gentlemen, please do not accuse me of being verbose and repetitious in my explanations.” (347).
“Gentlemen, please do not accuse me of being verbose and repetitious in my explanations.” (347).
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews