The Society of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus is offering a series of readings for the 40 days of Lent. Here is the thirteenth one. Enjoy! Justinus (Justin Martyr). Martyred c. 165. — EDITION: Apologies, A. W. F. Blunt (Cambridge Patristic Texts, 1911). The Defence and Explanation of Christian Faith and Practice (a) Heathen Gods are Demons This is the truth of the matter. In days of old evil spirits appeared in various guises and defiled women and corrupted boys, and made a show of such horrors that those who did not judge actions by the light of reason were struck with amazement. Such men were seized with dread and failed to understand that they were wicked spirits: instead they called them gods and addressed them all by the titles which each demon bestowed on himself. When Socrates tried to bring these matters to the light and to rescue mankind from those demons by the critical application of sound reasoning, then those very demons used the agency of man who delighted in wickedness to secure his execution for atheism and impiety, alleging that he was introducing novel supernatural powers. They are active against us on just the same lines. For not only was the truth of those matters established by Socrates among the Greeks by the application of reason (logos), but also among the barbarians by the Word (logos) himself who took the form and was made man, and received the name of Jesus Christ. Taught by him, we aver that these demons are not only not good, but wicked and unholy demons whose actions are inferior to those of mere men who set their hearts on virtue. Apologia J, ν (b) The God whom Christians Worship Thus we are called atheists. And we admit that in respect of such supposed gods as those we are atheists: but not in regard to the most true God, the Father of righteousness and moderation and the other virtues, the God who is without a trace of evil. Him we worship and adore, and his Son, who came from him and taught us of these things, and the host of other good angels who attend on God and are of god-like nature, and the Spirit of prophecy. These we worship with reason and truth. Ibid, vi (c) He admits to his Fellowship those who choose to imitate his Goodness We see that God provides all things, and we do not suppose that he stands in need of the material offerings of men. But we are taught, and believe with conviction, that he accepts only those who imitate those virtues of the divine character, such as moderation, righteousness, and love of man; such qualities as are the essential properties of God, who had no name ascribed to him: we are taught that he, being good, made all things in the beginning out of formless matter, for the sake of mankind; and if by their deeds men show themselves worthy in respect of his purpose, we believe that they are admitted to his society, to reign with him, released from corruption and suffering. For as he made us at the beginning from non-existence, so we suppose that those who choose what is pleasing to him are, in virtue of that choice, admitted to immortality and fellowship with God. For our original birth was not a matter of our choice; but the pursuit of those objects which he desires us to pursue, exercising choice through the rational powers which he has bestowed on us — to this he persuades us, and leads us to faith. Ibid, χ (d) We worship the Creator, revealed by his Son We arc not atheists, for we worship the Creator of the universe (while asserting, according to our instructions, that he needs no blood, nor libations, nor incense) with the word of prayer and thanksgiving . . . expressing our thanks to him in words, with solemn ceremonies1 and hymns, for our creation, for all the means of health, for the properties of things in their variety, and for the changing seasons: praying that through faith in him we may be born again in incorruption. Every man of sense will admit all this to be true of us. The master who taught us this worship, and who was born to this end, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judaea in the reign of Tiberius Caesar. We are sure that he is the Son of the true God, and hold him the second in order, with the Spirit of prophecy in the third place. I shall show that the honour which we pay is rational. Ibid, xiii (e) The Christian and the State The Lord said, ‘Pay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar; to God, what belongs to God.’ Therefore we render worship to God alone, but in all other things we gladly obey you, acknowledging you as kings and rulers of earth, and praying that in you the royal power may be found combined with wisdom and prudence. Apologia /, xvii (f) The incarnation of the Word [Justin has mentioned parallels to Christian beliefs in pagan mythology — sons of gods and miraculous births.] My purpose is to establish that our beliefs, which we have received from Christ and the prophets who preceded him, are the sole truth and are anterior to all these chronicles; and that we claim acceptance not because our teaching coincides with theirs, but because it is the truth. And the truth is that Jesus Christ alone has been begotten as the unique Son of God, being already his Word, his First-begotten, and his Power. By the will of God he became man, and gave us this teaching for the conversion and restoration of mankind. Before he came as man among men certain inventors of fables, acting for those evil spirits of whom I have spoken, made use of poetry to publish their myths as fact. Ibid, xxiii (g) ‘Christians before Christ It is unreasonable to argue, in refutation of our doctrines, that we assert Christ to have been born a hundred and fifty years ago, under Cyrenius, and to have given his teaching somewhat later, under Pontius Pilate; and to accuse us of implying that all men born before that time were not accountable. To refute this, I will dispose of the difficulty by anticipation. We are taught that Christ is the First-born of God, and we have explained above that he is the Word [reason] of whom all mankind have a share, and those who lived according to reason are Christians, even though they were classed as atheists. For example; among Greeks, Socrates, and Heraclitus; among non-Greeks, Abraham, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, and Elias, and many others. Ibid, xlvi (h) The Sign of the Cross This passage is the earliest example of Christian symbolism, and may be compared with the symbolism of early Christian art. Think for a moment, and ask yourself if the business of the world could be carried on without the figure of the cross. The sea cannot be crossed unless this sign of victory — the mast — remains unharmed. Without it there is no ploughing: neither diggers nor mechanics can do their work without tools of this shape. The human figure is distinguished from that of brute beasts solely by having an upright posture and the ability to extend the arms; and also by the nose through which the creature gets his breath, which is set at right angles to the brow, and displays just the shape of the cross. It was said through the prophet, ‘The breath before our face is the Lord Christ.’ And the standards in use among you display the power of this figure (I mean the legionary ensigns and trophy-poles which accompany your processions everywhere as symbols of power and dominion), though you are unconscious of the fact: and you set up the images of deceased emperors on such a figure,4 and call them ‘gods’ in the inscriptions. Ibid. Iv (j) Baptism I shall now explain our method of dedicating ourselves to God after we have been created anew through Christ. . . . All who accept and believe as true the things taught and said by us, and who undertake to have the power to live accordingly, are taught to pray and entreat God, fasting, for the forgiveness of their former sins, while we join in their prayer and fasting. Then we bring them to a place where there is water, where they are regenerated in the same way as we were: for they then make their ablution in the water in the name of God the Father and Lord of all, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ and of Holy Spirit. Ibid, bti (k) The Eucharist When we have thus washed a man who has accepted the teaching and has made his profession of faith, we bring him to those who are called brethren, where they are assembled, to offer prayers in common for ourselves, for the person thus illuminated, and for all others everywhere, with might and main; that we, who have learnt the truth, may be granted to prove, through our deeds also, good citizens and keepers of the commandments, that we may obtain eternal salvation. At the end of prayers we embrace each other with a kiss. Then bread is brought to the president of the brethen, and a cup of water and wine: this he takes, and offers praise and glory to the Father of all, through the name of his Son and of the Holy Spirit; and he gives thanks at length for our being granted these gifts at his hand. When he has finished the prayers and the thanksgiving5 all the people present give their assent with Amen, a Hebrew word signifying ‘So be it.’ When the president has given thanks1 and all the people have assented, those whom we call ‘deacons’ give a portion of the bread over which thanksgiving has been offered, and of the wine and water, to each of those who are present; and they carry them away to those who are absent. (Ixvi) This food is called Eucharist [thanksgiving] with us, and only those are allowed to partake who believe in the truth of our teaching and have received the washing for the remission of sins and for regeneration; and who live in accordance with the directions of Christ. We do not receive these gifts as ordinary food or ordinary drink. But as Jesus Christ our Saviour was made flesh through the word of God, and took flesh and blood for our salvation; in the same way the food over which thanksgiving has been offered2 through the word of prayer3 which we have from him — the food by which our blood and flesh are nourished through its transformation — is, we are taught, the flesh and blood of Jesus who was made flesh. Apologia I, Ixv-lxvi (l) Christian Worship After these things we always remind each other of them; and those of us who have means assist all who are in want, and we visit each other continually; and for all that we receive we bless the Maker of all things through his Son Jesus Christ and through Holy Spirit. And on the day which is called the Suns Day there is an assembly of all who live in the towns or the country; and the memoirs of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits. When the reader has finished the president gives a discourse, admonishing us and exhorting us to imitate these excellent examples. Then we all rise together and offer prayers: and, as I said above, on the conclusion of our prayer, bread is brought, and wine and water; and the president similarly offers up prayers and thanksgivings to the best of his power, and the people assent with Amen. Then follows the distribution of the Eucharistic gifts4 and the partaking of them by all; and they are sent to the absent by the hands of the deacons. The well-to-do who wish to give, give of their own free choice and each decides the amount of his contribution. This collection is deposited with the president, who gives aid to the orphans and widows and all who are in want through sickness or any other cause: he is also the protector of those in prison, of strangers from abroad, in fact, of all in need of assistance. We hold our common assembly on the Suns Day because it is the first day, on which God put to flight darkness and chaos and made the world; and on the same day Jesus Christ our Saviour rose from the dead; for they crucified him on the day before Saturns Day, and on the Suns Day, which follows Saturns, he appeared to his Apostles and disciples and taught them these things, which we have handed on to you for your consideration. Ibid. Ixvii (m) The Name of God The Father of all has no name given him, since he is unbegotten. For a being who has a name imposed on him has an elder to give him that name. ‘Father,’ and ‘God,’ ‘Creator,’ ‘Lord,’ ‘Master,’ are not names but appellations derived from his benefits and works. His Son (who alone is properly called Son, the Word who is with God and is begotten before the creation, when in the beginning God created and ordered all things through him) is called Christ because he was anointed and God ordered all things through him. The name Christ also contains an unknown significance, just as the title ‘God’ is not a name, but represents the idea, innate in human nature, of an inexpressible reality. Apologia Η, ν (n) The Logos and the Philosophers For myself, when I learned the wicked travesty by which the evil demons had disguised the divine teachings of the Christians, in order to deter others from them, I laughed at the spreaders of false reports, at the travesty, and at the popular opinion. I confess that I prayed and strove with all my might that I might prove a Christian: not because Platos teachings are contrary to Christs, but because they are not in all respects identical with them: as is the case with the doctrines of the others, the Stoics, the poets, and the prose authors. For each, through his share in the divine generative Logos, spoke well, seeing what was akin to it;r while those who contradict them on the more important matters clearly have not obtained the hidden wisdom and the irrefutable knowledge. Thus, whatever has been spoken aright by any men belongs to us Christians; for we worship and love, next to God, the Logos which is from the unbegotten and ineffable God; since it was on our behalf that he has been made man, that, becoming partaker of our sufferings, he may also bring us healing. For all those writers were able, through the seed of the Logos implanted in them, to see reality darkly. For it is one thing to have the seed of a thing and to imitate it up to ones capacity; far different is the thing itself, shared and imitated in virtue of its own grace. Apologia II, xiii
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 11:13:22 +0000
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