Category: Justin Martyr

Only One God

8/2/2017

Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
8/2/17

Justin on the Sole Government of God. (translated by Rev. G. Reith, M.A. Loc. 9969-10210 in The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene & Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection. Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. ANF 01 The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 6, Loc. 10197-10210.

In his concluding chapter, Justin directs his readers to recognize only one God. Alluding to Homer, he shows that the gods seek out knowledge about healing from a mortal, Chiron (Loc. 10199), that Bacchus is mad and Hercules unhappy, and that Mars and Venus are adulterous. Imitation of the Homeric deities would cause one to “be reckoned among impure men, and a stranger to life and humanity” (Loc. 10202). Therefore, Justin says we must acknowledge the one “true and invariable Name” (Loc. 10206).

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What Are False Gods?

7/26/2017

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Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
7/26/17

Justin on the Sole Government of God. (translated by Rev. G. Reith, M.A. Loc. 9969-10210 in The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene & Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection. Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. ANF 01 The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 5, Loc. 10105-10196.

In chapter 5 Justin speaks to the question of the “false gods.” Citing Menander in the Auriga, the trustworthy god is the one “Who stays at home, a just and righteous God, to give salvation to His worshipers” (Loc. 10111). Again, in the Sacerdos, Menander says, “There is no God, O Woman, that can save One man by another; if indeed a man, With sound of tinkling cymbals, charm a god Where’er he listeth, then assuredly He who doth so is much the greater god (Loc. 10111). Menander also says, “Tell me where, O Getas, in the world, ‘Tis possible to find out righteous gods?” (Loc. 10123). In the Depositum he says “There’s an s judgment, as it seems, Even with the gods” (Loc. 10123). Justin quotes Euripides’ Orestes, “We serve the gods, whoever they may be, But from the central regions of the earth You see Apollo plainly gives response” (Loc. 10129). Euripides also says in Hippolytus, “But on these points the gods do not judge right” (Loc. 10135) and in Ion an extended passage demonstrates the failure of the Olympians. “But in the daughter of Erechtheus What interest have I? For that pertains Not unto such as me . . . “ (Loc. 10135). Justin continues with Euripides, in Archelaus, “‘Full oft, my son, do gods mankind perplex’ and in Bellerophon: ‘They are no gods, who do not what is right’” (Loc. 1154). Justin goes on to Menander in Diphilus, giving praise “To Him who Father is, and Lord of all; Sole maker and preserver of mankind” (Loc. 10173). Also in Piscatores, “I deem that which nourishes my life Is God; but he whose custom ‘tis to meet The wants of men, He needs not at our hands Renewed supplies” (Loc. 10179). In Fratres Menander says, “God ever is intelligence to those Who righteous are: so wisest men have thought” (Loc. 10179). In Tibicinae he asks, “What is the mind, but just the voice of God within us placed” (Loc. 10179). In Phrixus, “But if the pious and the impious Share the same lot, how could we think it just, if Jove, the best, judges not uprightly?” (Loc. 10185). In Philoctetes he says, “You see how honurable gain is deemed Ever to the gods; and how he is admired Whose shrine is laden most with yellow gold” (Loc. 10185). And in Hecuba Euripides says, “Jupiter, whether thou are indeed A great necessity, or the mind of men, I worship thee!” (Loc. 10191).

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What Does God Desire?

7/19/2017

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Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
7/19/17

Justin on the Sole Government of God. (translated by Rev. G. Reith, M.A. Loc. 9969-10210 in The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene & Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection. Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. ANF 01 The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 4, Loc. 10076-10104.

What kind of life does God desire? Justin uses the non-Christian authors to show “that God is not appeased by the libations and incense of evil-doers, but awards vengeance in righteousness to each one” (Loc. 10076). Quoting Philemon, Justin affirms that offerings of a person who is neither useful nor good do not bring salvation. “Let him rather useful be, and good, Committing neither theft nor lustful deeds, nor murder foul, for earthly riches’ sake (Loc. 10083). On the contrary, the righteous person makes gifts which are acceptable to God (Loc. 10094). Justin also cites Plato in Timaeus, describing the difference between divine and human. “God mingles many things up into one [and again is able to dissolve one into many things,] seeing that He is endued with knowledge and power, but no man either is, or ever shall be, able to perform any of these” (Loc. 10100).

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Future Judgment

7/12/2017

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Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
7/12/17

Justin on the Sole Government of God. (translated by Rev. G. Reith, M.A. Loc. 9969-10210 in The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene & Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection. Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. ANF 01 The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 3, Loc. 10045-10075.

In chapter 3 Justin discusses literary testimony of a future judgment. He begins with Sophocles, saying, “That time of times shall come, shall surely come, when from the golden ether down shall fall Fire’s teeming treasure, and in burning flames all things of earth and heaven shall be consumed” (Loc. 10045). Sophocles continues with a scene of destruction and of the god destroying the evil and saving the good. Justin references Philemon in a speech addressed to Nicostratus affirming that the good and evil must not meet the same end, but will face a righteous judge (Loc. 10057). Euripides also affirms that there will be a time of divine justice (Loc. 10066). In the final judgments predicted by Sophocles, Philemon, and Euripides humans always receive judgment based on what they do.

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Many Pagans Recognize One God

7/5/2017

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Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
7/5/17

Justin on the Sole Government of God. (translated by Rev. G. Reith, M.A. Loc. 9969-10210 in The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene & Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection. Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. ANF 01 The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 2, Loc. 9984-10044.

Justin begins his process of identifying God in the historic non-Christian literature with quotes from Aeschylus, who identified a one and only god (Loc. 9984). “Afar from mortals place the holy God, Nor ever think that He, like to thyself, In fleshly robes is clad; . . . He is the Lord Omnipotent; And this the glory is of God Most High” Sophocles also describes one deity (Loc. 9998). “There is one God, in truth there is but one, who made the heavens and the broad earth beneath . . . “ Our setting up of images is senseless. Justin also refers to one Philemon “who published many explanations of ancient customs” and who considers a God who is the unseen one but who sees all (Loc. 10010). Citing the tract Diathecae, one Orpheus says that there is “the one and universal King, One, self-begotten, and the only One Of whom all things, and we ourselves, are sprung . . .” (Loc. 10015). We do observe that in this quotation Orpheus specifically says this one is Jupiter (Loc. 10027). Pythagoras also says there is only one eternal and infinite god (Loc. 10035).

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Human Nature Is Intended to Recognize One God

6/28/2017

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Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
6/28/17

Justin on the Sole Government of God. (translated by Rev. G. Reith, M.A. Loc. 9969-10210 in The Complete Ante-Nicene & Nicene & Post-Nicene Church Fathers Collection. Catholic Way Publishing, 2014. ANF 01 The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 1, Loc. 9969-9983.

Humans were created to discern truth and to worship the true Lord. They turned from this truth to idolatry. “It is the part of a lover of man, or rather of a lover of God, to remind men who have neglected it of that which they ought to know” (Loc. 9974). Justin’s intention, then, is to draw people back to the historic Christian faith, which he views as authentic and consistent with the original created order, “so that they should worship unchangeably Him who knows all things” (Loc. 9978). He plans to do this through “demonstration drawn from the old poetry in Greek literature, and from writings very common amongst all” (Loc. 9982). The historic non-Christian literature is going to rightly describe Christian doctrine.

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Only One God

What Are False Gods?

What Does God Desire?

Future Judgment

Many Pagans Recognize One God

Human Nature Is Intended to Recognize One God

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